Black Label
The Black label collection includes dolls designed for the adult collector and are non-numbered. The Gold Label dolls have only 25,000 editions created worldwide and can only be found at authorized Barbie Doll dealers as well as fine retailers (or at auction!)
There were three black fashion dolls from Mattel, Francie (1967), Christie (1968), and Julia (1969), according to Dolls Magazine. Mattel has since then produced dolls reflecting all body types and skin tones.
Gold Label is a collecting tier of Barbie dolls. There are sequentially numbered editions of 20,000 or less worldwide for each doll. Click on the Gold Label category to see all Gold Label dolls.
Mattel sells some special Barbie dolls for collectors that are divided up into four different categories: Pink Label, Silver Label, Gold Label, and Platinum Label. The Pink Label dolls are considered keepsake dolls and come in a pink box.
Black Label
The Black Label (or tier) was introduced in 2004 and it features dolls designed for Collectors ages 14 and up. Much like the Pink Label, there's not production limit on Black Label Barbies.
Produced by the American toy maker Mattel the 2016 line of Barbies comes in four body types original tall petite and curvy.
Silver Tier refers to a collecting tier of Barbie dolls. Each doll is limited to no more than 50,000 pieces created worldwide and comes packaged in a silver-trimmed "reveal" package, known as a new version of the "cake box package," which features a closed box with a beautiful doll photo or other artwork on the cover.
Platinum Label refers to a collecting tier of Barbie dolls. These dolls are produced in editions of less than 1,000 worldwide, and the tier includes premium one-of-a-kind dolls available at select events, like a Bob Mackie OOAK (one-of-a-kind) Barbie® doll, created for Dream Halloween.
The Caucasian version of the doll retails for $9.88. The African-American version of the same exact doll however is $11.87.
“The problem, I believe when we look at these discrepancies in pricing is that toy manufacturers do not produce Black dolls in proportion to the number of people in the human population,” she said, citing that Black dolls are less commonly made and often hand-crafted.
Barbies who are petite, tall and curvy will join original-size Barbie.
In 2017, the doll was estimated to be worth $3,000 (£2,335) to $3,500 (£2,724). But taking the top spot was the original Barbie, whose value actually left viewers furious as they thought it was too low.
Usually, vintage Barbies have holes in the bottom of their feet and the models. If your Barbie also has a stamp saying "Made in Japan" or "Japan" it means it was made between 1959-1972, because those models were manufactured there.
Released in 1959, the first-ever Barbie doll, also known as "No. 1 Ponytail," features golden hair, a black-and-white bathing suit and blue eyeshadow. With its original packaging, this rare Barbie is estimated to be worth thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars.
The Totally Hair doll is the best selling Barbie doll in Mattel history, with over 10 million dolls sold worldwide.
Vintage Barbies from 1959 can sell for thousands.
The iconic classic Barbie in the striped swimsuit can sell for thousands. Check for unique markings on the feet and her bottom as those could indicate a rare or valuable edition.
Barbie® Rainbow Sparkle Hair doll sparks young imaginations to design unique hairstyles with sparkle gel, hair accessories and wow features! Barbie® doll has a hidden rainbow with five brilliant colors in her extra-long blonde hair that measures 7.5 inches long!
Pink has long been associated with the Barbie brand — she even has her own Pantone color.
But while Barbie may be around 60 years old, her signature pink color dates back 1.1 billion years ago — making it the oldest color in the geologic record. A study from 2018 suggested that pink was the first color of life on Earth, showing up in ancient rocks under the Sahara desert.
As of 2021, Barbie has three younger sisters: Skipper, Stacie, and Chelsea. Mattel describes Barbie as strong, confident, and always willing to help her siblings. Kenneth Sean "Ken" Carson (1961–1967, 1969–present): Barbie's boyfriend and the second character added to the line.
"Happy Family" line
The dolls came in both European American and African American versions. This was the first time an African-American Midge was ever produced. Midge was sold "pregnant" with Nikki, who was a tiny baby inside Midge's magnetic removable womb.
The first Barbie doll hit shelves in 1959, making the iconic toy 64 years old in 2023. Barbies have offered broader representations of race, body type, and careers over the years. The "Barbie" movie, directed by Greta Gerwig, came out on July 21.