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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Middle-aged Barbie still a hot commodity


Barbie and her friends might be a gold mine. 
 (File/Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Eleska Aubespin Florida Today

Looking for loot? You might own hidden toy treasures

If you have Barbie dolls, G.I. Joes or maybe an American Flyer train set hidden in the attic, dig them out.

They could be worth money – and in some cases, a lot of it – if deemed as collectible toys by a representative of the International Toy Collectors Association.

“Right now, people are taking their old toys and having a garage sale,” says Jeff Parsons, president of the group.

“In some cases, they are selling the toys for a small fraction of the value they are really worth, so the toy show is a place to take these items for practical value.”

Exactly what toys are hot on the antique and collectors’ market?

“Robots and space toys are really popular right now,” Parsons says. “Items that were selling for $500 five years ago are selling for $2,000.”

Other hot toys include Hot Wheels, especially those with red lines on the tires, which weren’t made after 1970, and any battery-operated or windup toy, even those that are broken.

“Don’t worry, we can fix them,” Parsons adds.

Desirable to collectors are also toys made between 1850 and 1920, especially with action, such as carousels, pull toys and windups. Plus, toys that were childhood favorites of the baby boomers are sought after.

According to the association, sensational prices that collectors are paying for rare toys include:

“ $225,000 for a mechanical bank.

“ $65,000 for a 1930s tin windup collection.

“ $17,000 for a Barbie doll collection and clothes.

“ $7,000 for a 1920s toy truck.

“ $20,000 for a Shirley Temple doll collection.

“What happens is that Mom keeps these toys over the years, and when the kids grow up and go off, she puts them in the back of the closet or up in the attic,” Parsons says. “These toys go from sentimental items to collectibles worth good money.”

Still, to be truly valuable, an item must be rare, so the value of any collectible is based on supply and demand.