Matthew Keith bought his first Barbie dolls in the 1970s using his allowance money, hiding them from his parents for fear they would say the toys were not masculine enough.
The"Barbie" movie, which opened Friday, is expected to rake in $100 million in U.S. theaters on its opening weekend. Retailers around the world are also hoping to profit off its hype with Barbie-themed offerings from hotel suites to toothbrushes and apparel. Florida-based veteran Barbie doll dealer Marl Davidson said prices have climbed about 25 per cent in recent months. Her site, MarlBe.com, has been receiving about 3,000 daily hits, triple the usual, many of whom are from people starting collections.
Dr. Lori Verderame, an art historian and TV personality with 25 years of experience as an antiques appraiser, said the Barbie doll owners who usually seek her expertise are seasoned collectors assessing the insurance value of their trove. Many of those have come from people with little or no experience in doll collecting, such as a person who purchased a Barbie at a thrift store that turned out to be valued at more than $10,000. Another found a doll that had been sitting in her mother's house for years, which turned out to be worth $8,500.