From the moment I decided to write an article on the most expensive Barbie dolls, that catchy tune
“I’m a Barbie girl, in the Barbie world”
from the song ‘Barbie Girl’ has just been repeating in my head. I am sure this song is closer to the heart of the 90s, as we grew up hearing it.
While this song was released in 1997, Barbie had completed 38 years of her life. Hmmm. It was back in 1959 when toy company Mattel.Inc’s co-founder Ruth Handler created Barbie and named it after her daughter Barbara.
The backstory is that Ruth once noticed her child playing with paper dolls and giving them adult characters. At that moment, Ruth realized the need for adult-bodied dolls in the market, as most of the dolls were of infant figures.
Since its production, Barbie has been the most celebrated fashion doll ever produced. It is even popular among adults, let alone children. In the last 62 years, innumerable Barbies, with over 200 careers like doctor, pilot, journalist, astronaut, etc., have been produced. All these barbies don’t come with the same price tag. While there are barbies under $20, some even surpass thousands of dollars.
Well, through this article, today we are going to learn about 13 of the most expensive Barbie dolls in the world.
Top 13 Most Expensive Barbies at a glance-
13. The Marie Antoinette Barbie – $2,499.95
12. Aqua Queen of the Prom Barbie – around $5,000
11. Sweet Dreams Brunette Barbie( No 2)- $5,500
10. Bling Barbie – $7,500
9. Barbie in Midnight PinK- $8,557
8. 1965 Abend Barbie Gala – $13,673
7. Pink diamond barbie – $15,000
6. Barbie in ‘Midnight Red’ – $17,091
5. 1959 original barbie- $27,450
4. Blue Ivy’s Barbie Doll – $80,000
3. 40th Anniversary Barbie – $85,000
2. Barbie and the Diamond Castle- $94,000
1. The most expensive Barbie ever by Stefano Canturi – $302,500
THIRTEEN
The Marie Antoinette Barbie
Value: $2,499.95
It can be presumed from the name that The Marie Antoinette Barbie was created to pay homage to the French queen after whom the doll had been named.
The Marie Antoinette Barbie was produced and introduced in 2003.
The figure is dressed in an elaborate blue gown inspired by Antoinette’s era. The stunning gown contains several layers made out of tassels and fabrics.
On one hand, the barbie has handcrafted porcelain roses, holding tightly. On the head, she has a plumed hat, and around her neck, she wears a beautiful necklace of artificial diamond-like jewels.
At present, the Barbie is available on Amazon and eBay at $2,499.95.
TWELVE
Aqua Queen of the Prom Barbie
Value: around $ 5,000
The Aqua Queen Barbie was mainly created to gift the chairpersons presented in the National Barbie Doll Convention of 2001. At that time, only 30 pieces were produced.
Considering its rarity, you can presume why this barbie was priced so high. Even today, it is available on eBay at $4,319.99 with 10% off, which means the original price is still retained.
The Aqua Queen barbie comes with a beautiful blue gown, a pair of long gloves and slippers, and a matching crown.
ELEVEN
Sweet Dreams Brunette Barbie( No 2)
Value: $5,500
In 2010, Sweet Dream Brunette Barbie was auctioned off at Dan Morphy Auctions where it was purchased by an anonymous buyer for a staggering $5,500. Although the amount seems huge, it is quite low considering the rarity of this barbie.
The Sweet Dreams Barbie was presented in a box that had a diary, apples, shoes, and an alarm clock alongside, representing the sweet dreams fashion.
TEN
Bling Barbie/ Lorraine Schwartz Barbie
Value: $7,500
Lorraine Schwartz is a renowned American jewelry designer who has even worked for A-list celebs like J.LO (Jennifer Lopez), Beyoncé, Cate Blanchett, and Gail Barry.
Lorraine Schwartz, paired with Mattel, created this barbie and named it “Bling Barbie”. But it is also known as “Lorraine Schwartz Barbie”. The barbie is decorated with $ 25,000 worth of diamonds, among which the diamond-encrusted letter ‘B’ on the waist is most notable.
Despite its great value, the barbie fetched a very cheap price at an auction. It was sold for only $7,500.
NINE
Barbie in Midnight Pink
Value: $8,557
Like many other barbies on our list, the Barbie in ‘Midnight Pink’ is also from 1965.
This barbie wears a long pink gown accented with a fur-trimmed collar. Moreover, it has light brown hair, long white gloves, and slippers. The hairstyle of the barbie was inspired by the ‘Talking Barbie’, and the ponytail is tied with pink ribbons.
The Barbie in ‘Midnight Pink’ was auctioned at Christie’s in 2006 where its estimated value was between 400- 600 pounds. Finally, the barbie retailed at GBP 5,040, which is 7007 USD today. Along with other costs, this barbie fetched $8,557 as a whole.
EIGHT
1965 Abend Barbie Gala
Value: $13,673
Abend Barbie Gala is a 1965 Barbie which, according to Christie’s website, was only made available in Europe, hence very rare.
The doll’s outfit includes a full-length gown with an off-white brocade coat along with a fur collar, a pair of white gloves and shoes.
When it was auctioned off at Christie’s, it was guessed to be fetched between GBP 400 – GBP 600. But finally, this decent-looking barbie was sold for GBP 7,200, which is 10,010 USD today. However, altogether the Barbie fetched around $13,673.
SEVEN
Pink diamond barbie
Value: $15,000
Pink Diamond Barbie was designed by duo Phillipe and David Blond who are together known as ‘The Blonds’. They belong to high-profile designers who design clothes for silver screen personalities. However, to give the pink Barbie a complete look, The Blonds combined with Bill Greening, Mattel’s principal designer.
The pink diamond barbie made her debut in 2013 at The Blond’s New York Fashion Week Spring event.
The dress of this Barbie is encrusted with handcrafted rose and fuchsia diamonds. Moreover, she wears an eye-popping fur coat of silk satin, a diamond ring, a bracelet, and a pair of earrings – all are diamond studded and of the same hue, pink.
The doll was guessed to be worth around $15,000. It was just auctioned off to support the MAC Aids Fund organization.
SIX
Barbie in ‘Midnight Red’
Value: $17,091
Don’t be confused between the Barbie in ‘Midnight Red’ and Barbie in ‘Midnight pink’; both are different.
In 2006, this barbie was presented at Christie’s auction with other 4,000 barbies. At that auction, it fetched an unexpected amount of money that was 9000 pounds. You will be surprised knowing that the estimated price of the Midnight Red was only 400-600 pounds. However, altogether it cost $17,091. It was a woman who bought the barbie on behalf of an anonymous guy.
The price left the audience spellbound as the barbie was very simple in design. It had not even a single diamond in it. What fetched this barbie a high price was its rarity since it is from 1965.
FIVE
1959 original barbie
Value: $27,450
The first Barbie was officially introduced in 1959 in New York City at the American International Toy Fair. Mattel, Inc. ‘s co-founder Ruth Handler created this Barbie by taking inspiration from the German doll ‘Bild Lilli’. After creating her own barbie, Ruth Handler named it after her daughter Barbara.
The original Barbie contains golden hair, earrings, a zebra-print swimming suit, and a pair of shoes.
When the Barbie was first released, it was $3 in cost. But today, its estimated value is $8,000. As per Mashable, the original Barbie’s highest auctioned value is $27,450.
FOUR
Blue Ivy’s Barbie Doll
Value: $80,000
In 2013, singer Beyonce and her husband Jay-z threw a lavish party to mark the first birthday of their daughter Blue Ivy. On her birthday, one-year-old Ivy received a majestic Barbie doll from her parents. The barbie was encrusted and decorated with 160 diamonds as well as white gold jewelry. It cost the celeb couple $80,000.
THREE
40th Anniversary Barbie
Value: $85,000
This barbie was designed in 1999 to mark Barbie’s 40th birthday anniversary.
It is the result of a collaboration between the famous toy manufacturing company, Mattel and the well-known jewelry retailer De Beers.
The outfit of the Barbie includes a full-length skirt, a golden bikini top, a matching wrap of tangerine color. Around the waist, there is a belt fully embellished with 160 authentic diamonds from De Beers.
This Barbie was sold for $85,000 at an auction.
TWO
Barbie and the Diamond Castle
Value: $94,000
From 2008 to 2010, Barbie and the Diamond Castle occupied the title of the most expensive Barbie doll in the world.
As a whole, the Barbie includes 318 diamonds, weighing 20.66 carats altogether. Out of those 318 diamonds, around 44 were used to accentuate her dress.
The rest were used to adorn the Barbie’s tiara, earrings, bracelet, necklace, ring, and slippers. Again, in some accessories the designer used white gold.
The Barbie doll was first introduced in Mexico City. It was not made to be auctioned off but to promote the movie “Barbie and the Diamond Castle” which was about to release then.
Well, the estimated price of this piece was $94,000.
ONE
The most expensive Barbie ever by Stefano Canturi
Value: $302,500
Back in 2007, toymaker Mattel asked internationally celebrated Australian jewelry designer Stefano Canturi to design a barbie doll that would break all the previous records in terms of the price tag.
Canturi accepted the proposal, and it took him six months to complete the task.
Stefano created the Barbie by taking inspiration from the Cubism style.
The designer was given complete freedom to design Barbie’s look. From the eyelashes, hair, make-up, black strapless dress, and footwears to the doll’s pose all were Canturi’s work.
Canturi’s Barbie contains a magnificent necklace that includes a 1-carat square emerald-cut pink diamond. The central pink diamond is further flanked by 3 carats of white diamonds.
On the right hand, there is a diamond ring that completes the look of this majestic barbie.
Well, the barbie was auctioned off at Christie’s in 2010. There, it was sold for a mind-boggling $302,500. All the funds raised from the sale of this most expensive barbie doll had been used to support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Frequently Asked Questions:
➤ How do I know if my Barbie is valuable?
To know if the barbie you possess is valuable or not, you have to consider several aspects; and the first one is the barbie’s rarity.
Rarity
If your barbie is from a limited edition that means if the barbie is not available in the market, then your one is definitely worth money. Remember, the older the barbie is, the more rare and worthy it will be.
Mint-Conditioned Barbie
Even if your barbie is rare, but it has suffered damages, its value will be diminished. Collectors incline to pay high amounts of money only for mint-conditioned barbies.
Identity of the doll
If your barbie represents one of the famous persons, it is definitely worth money.
➤ Why is the Pink Splendor Barbie so expensive?
The Pink Splendor Barbie made her debut in 1996; only 10,000 pieces were produced and released on the market. Because of its limitation, its original price was fixed at a whopping $900.
The Pink Splendor Barbie comes in a mind-boggling pink gown accented with gold lace trimmings. The magnificent gown is made of silk satin, rosy taffeta, and crystal jewelry. Furthermore, she is adorned with a graceful crystal necklace and matching crystal earrings.
Well, currently the barbie has fallen in its price. Now it is available at between $350-$400, yet not so low to sneeze at.
Well, that is for today. I hope you found this article informative
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About Dawson Kutch
Dawson Kutch is a born and raised Alaskan who loves the outdoors and everything it has to offer. Kutch has been an avid hunter and fisher his entire life, and takes great pride in providing for himself and his family. While he enjoys spending time in the great outdoors, Kutch also has a passion for fashion and loves to stay up-to-date on the latest trends. In his free time, Kutch enjoys spending time with his wife and one young daughter. He is always looking to learn more and better himself, both as a writer and as a person.
