30+ Barbie Dolls That Are Worth A Fortune Today

Date Released: 2001 
Original Value: $20*
Current Est. Value: $995*

Dressed in a black, tuxedo-esque gown, this 2001 Barbie doll can cost almost $1,000 on the resale market. The Midnight Tuxedo Barbie was a huge, limited-edition hit when she was released, and she helped define the early ‘00s.

Midnight Tuxedo Barbie @tonipennell/Pinterest

The floor-length black gown and fur stole the show with this Barbie. Not only is she worth a lot because of her unique outfit; this Barbie is also expensive because she was very limited-edition when she came out, meaning that Mattel didn’t produce many of her.

Date Released: 1996 
Original Value: $25*
Current Est. Value: $999*

The first thing you notice when you see the Pink Splendor Barbie is, of course, her radiant gown. She’s wearing a voluminous, pale pink dress made from fine, silken satin that has been trimmed with lace.

Pink Splendor Barbie (Limited Edition) @Frostbyte1118/Pinterest

Everyone wanted to get their hands on the Pink Splendor Barbie when she came out in the 1990s. Only 10,000 pieces were sold worldwide, so, now, the Pink Splendor Barbie reaches a price of $1,000 or more on sites like eBay.

Date Released: 1994 
Original Value: N/A (Prototype)
Current Est. Value: $999*

Carol Spencer, a designer, started her career with Mattel in the early 1960s. Her signature dolls became famous for their unique, beautiful outfits, and Carol was the first designer to attach her name to the back of the Barbie package.

Carol Spencer Holiday Barbie @hematologiainte/Pinterest

She was also the only designer to have her name on the back of the Barbie itself. Nowadays, Spencer’s dolls are worth a lot of money. For example, the 1994 Carol Spencer Holiday Barbie is worth $999. It is rare to find on sites like Etsy, as it was just a prototype when it came out.

Date Released: 1959 
Original Value: $5*
Current Est. Value: $27,450*

Of course, we couldn’t have a list of the world’s most valuable Barbies without including the OG 1959 doll. Wearing a black and white striped swimsuit, her blond hair in curls, this Barbie cost just $3 when she first came out.

Original Barbie @Google/Pinterest

Now, she’s worth as much as $27,450. Created by Ruth Handler, this Barbie was first introduced to the public at New York’s International Toy Fair. Little did Handler know her doll would become a sensation, sold at nearly every toy store, online shop, and Walmart in the world in the future.

Date Released: 2014 
Original Value: $200*
Current Est. Value: $11,400*

Karl Lagerfeld was one of the most famous designers in American history. Famous for his work with Balmain, Patou, Chloe, and Chanel, Lagerfeld started his career in fashion in the ‘50s. His work has been seen on red carpets around the world, and his name is still synonymous with luxury.

Karl Lagerfeld Barbie @shefinds/Pinterest

Of course, Lagerfeld got his own Barbie doll. The Karl Lagerfeld Doll was released in 2014, and, in true Karl fashion, it is now one of the most valuable Barbies on the market. The Doll costs around $11,400, about the same amount you’d pay for a used car.

Date Released: 1960s 
Original Value: $5-$7*
Current Est. Value: $1,520*

This doll is not only rare and beautiful, she is also historically important. The vintage Mattel Francie Barbie was produced in the 1960s, and she was unique at the time because she was one of very few Black Barbies on the market.

Vintage Mattel Francie Barbie @Google/Pinterest

Francie was Mattel’s first Black Barbie, setting off a tradition that would see Mattel expand their dolls to represent a wide range of races, cultures, and religions. On eBay, Francie sells for as much as $1,520.

Date Released: 2013 
Original Value: $15,000*
Current Est. Value: $15,000*

In 2013, the Pink Diamond Barbie went up for auction. She was created by the Blonds, a famous NYC fashion duo who has worked with Mattel for years. The Pink Diamond Barbie debuted during the Spring Fashion Week of that year.

Pink Diamond Barbie @buzzfeed/Pinterest

She was auctioned off for charity for $15,000. Needless to say, this one-of-a-kind Barbie isn’t something you can find on Amazon, and we wouldn’t be surprised if she has held her $15K value over time (or surpassed it).

Date Released: 2017 
Original Value: $56*
Current Est. Value: $1,000*

The 1980s were a time of big hair, shoulder pads, shiny fabrics, neon, and other questionable fashion choices. “It was the eighties,” as a result, is a sentence that can be used to justify just about any odd fashion choice from the era.

The Glory of the ‘80s Barbie @ebay/Pinterest

The Glory of the ‘80s Barbie was released in 2017 to pay homage to the eighties. This Barbie was a surefire collectible from the day it was released, and, now, you can find it for as much as $1,000 on second hand sites.

Date Released: 1998 
Original Value: $12*
Current Est. Value: $100*

Commuter Set #916 was a vintage ensemble worn by Barbie during the late fifties and early sixties. During the late nineties, the Commuter Set Barbie would be re-released, keeping the same ‘50s-era outfit.

Commuter Set Barbie @FamilyMinded/Pinterest

She’s wearing clothing you wouldn’t see in Macy’s or Kohls, that’s for sure. This vintage Barbie is a collectible nowadays, selling for around $100 on the resale market. Though that price might not seem sky-high, this doll is worth more than what people paid for her in the ‘90s. 

Date Released: 2006 
Original Value: $150-$250*
Current Est. Value: $1,000*

Not to be confused with the dryad character from Fairytopia, the Dahlia Doll by Barbie was influenced by the beautiful romanticism of Spain, according to SusansDolls.com. This Barbie wears a beautiful, black lace gown, satin opera gloves, and jewelry with Swarovski crystals embellishing it.

Dahlia Barbie @gmartineza74/Pinterest

The Dahlia Doll is easy to spot, thanks to her bright-red hair (in addition to her dramatic outfit). She was designed by Robert Best as part of the Platinum Label’s Barbie Fashion Model Collection. If the Dahlia Doll had her own Insta, she’d totally be an influencer. 

Date Released: 2012 
Original Value: $700*
Current Est. Value: $1,395*

Released in 2012, you’d be hard-pressed to find a Barbie more stylish than La Belle Epoque Barbie. Made exclusively as a Paris Fashion Doll, La Belle Epoque is part of Mattel’s platinum label, and just 375 dolls worldwide were made in her likeness.

La Belle Epoque Barbie ©Simon Farnworth/Flickr

La Belle Epoque was designed by famed dollmaker Robert Best, and she was handed out at the Paris Doll Festival eleven years ago. Thanks to her rarity, her value, in most markets, is well over $1,000 and could continue to climb. 

Date Released: 1999
Original Value: $25*
Current Est. Value: $100*

The Chicago Cubs are one of MLB’s most storied teams, with a history stretching back decades. The Cubs are America’s team (so their fans say), and Mattel got in on the action back in the late 1990s with its Chicago Cubs Barbie.

Chicago Cubs Barbie @buzzfeed/Pinterest

This 1999 Barbie Doll reaches its highest value when she is still in the package, unopened. A lot of Barbies came out that year, including the Barbie Loves Sports Edition, but the Cubs Barbie is one of ‘99’s most valuable.

Date Released: 1996 
Original Value: $50*
Current Est. Value: $1,414*

Calvin Klein is a brand with a valuation of $1.5 billion, selling low-end designer bags, shoes, outwear, clothing, and more. Calvin Klein is accessible to the public, yet it is still classy and has a designer ring to it.

Calvin Klein Barbie @amazon/Pinterest

So, it only made sense for Mattel to honor CK by creating the brand’s very-own Barbie. The limited-edition Calvin Klein Barbie was released in 1996, and it is now a very valuable collectible, reaching as high as $1,414 on some collectors’ markets.

Date Released: 2008 
Original Value: $500*
Current Est. Value: $700-$3,000*

The Centennial Barbie Alpha Kappa Alpha is a very special doll with a lot of history to it. It honors Alpha Kappa Alpha, which was founded in 1908. It was the first sorority specifically for Black women, established in the face of widespread discrimination.

Centennial Barbie Alpha Kappa Alpha @wordpressdotcom/Pinterest

This 2008 Barbie honors the efforts made by AKA’s founders. Original Alpha Kappa Alpha dolls, especially those untouched and still in the box, are worth around $2,150, if not more, according to the latest prices on eBay.