WHAT'S MY DOLL WORTH?

Whether buying, selling or just plain curious, we all want to know how much our dolls are worth. To do so, it is necessary to understand how doll values are established.

Let us consider, first, the so-called primary market. These are new dolls, never before sold, whether they are artist’s creations marketed through a studio, or inexpensive vinyl children’s toys lining the shelves at Wal-Mart.

The primary market’s doll prices may be discounted. There may be special sales. But, basically, there is a known – and often widely advertised -- starting point established by the maker.

Then there is the secondary market. These are the older dolls, used dolls, dolls no longer manufactured and available new, the sorts of collectible Horsman dolls that are pictured and described in these pages.

These dolls once had a primary market value but that was long ago, when they first were sold by a department or toy store. Today, they are bought and sold as collectibles by you and me.

The price – that is, value – of a doll on the secondary market is not set by the manufacturer. It is established by a meeting of the minds, sometimes after negotiation and bargaining, between an individual buyer and seller.

It is a matter of supply and demand. How many similar dolls are out there, available for purchase? How many potential buyers are looking to buy one?

If there are many similar dolls available, the seller will have to lower the price to find a buyer. If there are many willing buyers chasing a few dolls, some will be willing to pay a premium price just to own a rare doll.

But rarity isn’t everything. A doll may be very rare, but so little known about that there are not many collectors interested in buying.

As important as rarity is a doll’s condition and completeness.

A doll which is mint-in-box, as pristine as she was the day, years ago, when she left the factory, will be more in demand – hence worth more --than one that has been played with. A doll still in her original dress, or with her original hair set, will have more value than one without.

But a selling price for a doll on this secondary market may also vary depending on where it is sold, and even when. A doll sold in Los Angeles or New York might have a different value than a similar sale in Mayberry, USA. And a doll sold during the weeks before Christmas might have a different value than one sold during the January doldrums.

Therefore, our values listing can be considered merely a guide. It often shows a range of value for a particular doll. Some examples might sell for a few dollars, while others of the same type may go for substantially more.

For some dolls, that range will be quite large. A certain doll may be listed as being worth $50 to $200. That may mean, merely, that not enough sales of that sort of doll have been recorded to establish a reliable and more precise norm.

This is particularly true of on-line auctions, when two collectors may spot a long-wanted doll and bid frantically against each other, driving up the price. They may not realize that another very similar doll may come up for auction next month but not generate much buyer interest and, therefore, sell for a much lower price.

Our reference book, Horsman Dolls: The Vinyl Era, 1950 - Present includes a list of current value ranges for hundreds of Horsman dolls. This list was compiled from a two-year study of actual realized sales through the on-line auctions. The values listed reflect what real collectors paid to real sellers for real dolls.

In addition, the book contains information on how to value Horsman vinyl dolls even if you do not know the specific doll's name.

THE VALUES IN THE BOOK SHOULD BE USED ONLY AS A GUIDE. THEY ARE NOT INTENDED TO SET PRICES, WHICH MAY VARY DEPENDING ON LOCATION, CONDITION AND DEMAND. NEITHER THE AUTHOR NOR THE PUBLISHER OF HORSMAN DOLLS: THE VINYL ERA, 1950 – PRESENT, ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY LOSSES INCURRED AS A RESULT OF CONSULTING THE GUIDE.

PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL THE AUTHOR SEEKING THE VALUE OF A PARTICULAR DOLL YOU OWN. HE IS UNABLE TO RESPOND TO SUCH INDIVIDUAL INQUIRIES AND HE DOES NOT OFFER DOLL APPRAISAL SERVICES.