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Step into a world where rarity meets iconic fashion history. Join us as we explore the extraordinary stories behind the most elusive and highly sought-after Barbie dolls ever created. From limited editions to unique misprints, these are the dolls that serious collectors dream of, representing significant moments in Barbie's enduring legacy and often commanding staggering prices at auction. Prepare to be amazed by these ultimate treasures in the realm of doll collecting.
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00:00Steve, you're not telling me that we're gonna comb the streets looking for a stupid Barbie doll.
00:04Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the Barbie dolls that are
00:09next to impossible to find. We'll only be looking at Barbies, no Ken's, Midge's, or other friends
00:16of Barbie. Ah! Oh, Midge. Gosh, I thought we discontented her.
00:22Number 20. Misprint 10th Anniversary Holiday Barbie. Mattel began releasing special limited
00:30edition Barbies for the holiday starting in 1988. The 10th doll, produced in 1997, was gorgeous,
00:37with a shimmering red dress that looked like a Christmas ribbon. I of course saved my shopping
00:41for the last minute, and of course everything was closed today, so I had to just grab what I had,
00:45but Merry Christmas. The doll has green eyes, but there's a misprint on some of the packages.
00:51The back of the box shows her with bright blue eyes. No one knows for sure how many of these
00:56were shipped before the mistake was caught. However, a limited quantity of holiday Barbies
01:01are made each year. This mistake appeared on just a fraction of the boxes for the brunette doll only,
01:07so there can't be too many of them floating around out there.
01:10I found something, but it took me out of town for months. Know what I found when I got back?
01:15No. I found nothing.
01:18Number 19. Alpha Kappa Alpha Centennial Barbie. In 1908, the first sorority for black women in the
01:25U.S. was founded at Howard University, called Alpha Kappa Alpha. It adopted the ivy leaf and pink
01:31tea rose as its symbols, and the corresponding colors of apple green and salmon pink for its insignia.
01:37With more than 283,000 members in over 900 chapters across the world, Alpha Kappa Alpha continues to
01:44promote the mission of sisterhood, scholarship, and service to all mankind.
01:49The sorority has counted some pretty notable names among its members, including Toni Morrison,
01:54Katherine Johnson, and Kamala Harris. 100 years later, the AKA Centennial Barbie was released to
02:01celebrate the historic milestone. Yes, hon. AKAs were first on the yard, first in space, first in the
02:08White House, and of course, the first sorority to have a Barbie doll. Alpha Kappa Alpha unveiled the
02:13doll at its 2008 convention. Her dress is chiffon layered over charmeuse in, of course, pink and green.
02:20If you want to add this beauty to your collection, you can expect to shell out over $1,000.
02:24Number 18. Inland Steel Barbie. This doll was custom-made by Mattel for the Inland Steel
02:31company in 1967. It was never sold to the public. Instead, the company sent the Barbies out as
02:37gifts to its top clients. It called her Barbie Loves the Improvers. Her outfit was inspired by
02:43fashion designer Paco Rabban, who was known for using metal and plastic in his futuristic looks.
02:54The dress is made of cardstock designed to look like a steel drum, and she comes with a little
03:10pink bikini. Only a handful of these are believed to be left in existence, and in 2024, one sold at
03:17auction for $6,000.
03:19She's a steal. You know, I'm beginning to get interested in this business.
03:24Number 17. Chicago Cubs Barbie. From 1998 to 2000, Mattel released the Barbie Loves Sports
03:31collection, which featured several dolls in motorsport, bowling, and baseball uniforms. The MLB Barbies
03:37came in Dodgers, Yankees, and Cubs flavors. So what makes the Cubs one so special?
03:42The Cubs win the World Series! Brian makes the play! It's over! And the Cubs have finally won it all!
03:52After Chicago broke a 71-year curse to win the World Series in 2016, fans began scooping up
03:58memorabilia left and right. That included this Barbie, plus another Cubs Barbie that had been
04:04distributed to attendees at a Wrigley Field game in 1999. We love to imagine hardcore Chicago baseball
04:10fans adding these adorable little dolls to their man caves full of Cubs merch.
04:14Yes! You got it, baby! 108 years of frustration over, baby!
04:20Number 16. First Happy Holidays Barbie. She is the one that kicked off the annual release of the
04:26special edition holiday Barbie.
04:28And we now are gay apparel!
04:30This Barbie dropped ahead of Christmas in 1988, and she is a stunner. Draped in tons of scarlet red
04:39tulle covered in glitter, with big blonde 80s hair, she caught the eyes of kids and collectors
04:44everywhere. Lots of little children looked forward to getting their holiday Barbie under the tree every
04:49year, but only the really lucky ones got their hands on the OG. The success of this first release
04:54left Mattel with just one problem. How would they follow up the next year after setting the bar so
05:00high?
05:00I sell dreams, and imagination, and sparkle!
05:05Number 15. Twist and Turn Barbie.
05:08Eight years after she was first released, Barbie got a major makeover.
05:13Have you heard what's happened? Barbie's changed! Barbie's new and different!
05:19To keep up with the style of the time, she was given a new hairstyle, a different face design and
05:24makeup look, and rooted eyelashes. Best of all, Barbie's were now able to twist and turn at the
05:30waist for the first time. It was at an angle to the axis of the doll, so that when the doll turned,
05:38the doll had sort of a model-like contrapposto. Released in 1967, this Barbie was part of the mod era,
05:45a reference to the mod subculture that captivated the youth. Because these Barbies are so old and
05:50represent the doll's first redesign, they don't come cheap. You can get a used one in good condition
05:56for about $400. If you want a new one in the box, expect to pay at least $1,000, assuming you can find
06:03one.
06:04But better hurry up! First come, first served! There's a limited supply at this special low price,
06:08so take your old Barbie and a dollar and a half and trade them for the Barbie! Who's new?
06:13Number 14, Midnight Tuxedo Barbie. This beauty was released in 2001 as an official
06:19Barbie Collector Club exclusive, meaning she was never available in retail stores.
06:24The Collector Club dolls were all limited editions, so they're going to be tougher to
06:28find than other releases from the same time period. Unknown, unseen by the world at large,
06:32they exist solely for my pleasure, and yet my private collection is incomplete.
06:38If you know anything about Barbies, or doll collecting in general, you probably know that
06:42historically, fewer African American Barbies have been produced and sold than white Barbies.
06:48That often means the black dolls are now rarer and more valuable. That is certainly the case for
06:53the Midnight Tuxedo Barbie. The African American version is selling for four to five times as much
06:58as the blonde version on eBay. You guys were good. Thanks. You were better. We were, huh?
07:06Number 13, Career Girl Barbie. It was a big day for Barbie. She was up bright and early to choose
07:12just the right costume to wear. And after putting her dream house in order, she was on her way to work.
07:19This vintage doll is ready to punch in at her secretary or telephone operator job. The outfit
07:24was released in 1963, so she didn't have many other options. It came with a cute matching jacket,
07:41pencil skirt, and hat, a red bodysuit, long black gloves, and tiny little open-toed heels. Finding
07:47this complete set in mint condition is next to impossible. You can find plenty of Career Girl
07:52Barbie outfits that are missing a shoe or a glove, or with a bodysuit full of holes. But that is not
07:58good enough for hardcore collectors. Mattel released a reproduction of this outfit in 2006,
08:03and even those will run you a couple of hundred dollars if you want one brand new in the box.
08:08You can tell they're Mattel. They're swell.
08:11Number 12, Bob Mackie, Lady of the Unicorns Barbie. This legendary designer worked with Mattel for
08:17more than two decades and designed 47 Barbies for the company. He helped turn the fashion doll into
08:22a true icon. When I first met Barbie, she was an airline stewardess, and she was a secretary,
08:28and she was a surfer girl, and she had all these things that were sort of normal, and I wanted to
08:34bring some of what I was sort of known for. Fantasy, glamour, all that sort of thing that you wouldn't see
08:42every day. His designs are colorful, elaborate, and over the top, and some marked major milestones in
08:49Barbie's evolution. The 1992 Neptune Fantasy Barbie, for instance, was the first version of
08:54the Superstar body sculpt that had a closed mouth. The 1991 Starlight Splendor Barbie featured 5,000
09:00hand-sewn sequins, but perhaps none is wilder than the Lady of the Unicorns. She was released in 2008,
09:08and features a green velvet dress, floor-length blonde hair, and of course, that spectacular headpiece.
09:14If you're lucky enough to find one for sale, it'll cost you around $1,000.
09:19Seeing this photo of her in the box, it hurts. It hurts that I don't have this doll.
09:271964 brought some unique changes to Barbie's design.
09:35The new Miss Barbie was the first to have bendable knees and sleep eyes that opened and closed.
09:41She also had molded on hair like Ken, and came with three different wigs, plus a fuzzy pink swim cap.
09:47This design was not popular.
09:49It was horrible.
09:52Why?
09:53Come on, Sasha. Give it to her. Destroy Barbie.
09:56The wigs tended to stain Barbie's head if you left them on too long, and supposedly,
10:00some kids were freaked out by the closing eyes. It only lasted a year, and as a result,
10:05Miss Barbie is pretty hard to find today. And of course, finding one in good condition without
10:11wig stains on her head is even more difficult.
10:13You'll love mixing and matching Barbie's costume with her new fashion wig.
10:18Number 10. Pink Jubilee Barbie.
10:21In February 1989, Mattel celebrated Barbie's 30th anniversary with the Pink Jubilee Barbie.
10:27She was all about 80s glam, and ready to party in a striking metallic gown. And because she was
10:39created in the era of excess, everything was big. Hair, jewelry, and yes, shoulder pads.
10:45I think that my ideal woman has a bust, waist, and hips, and she's not shy of her shoulders.
10:57Each guest attending the party at New York's Lincoln Center reportedly received one of the
11:01limited edition dolls. Mattel only produced 1,200 of them, making this a super exclusive gift.
11:07If you're lucky enough to get your hands on this beauty, expect to dole out $800 to $900.
11:15Number 9. Devi Kroll Barbie. Mattel and Barbie have worked with several fashion designers over
11:23the decades. In 2010, the company unveiled their new line of diverse dolls wearing little black
11:34dresses. But the Barbie Basics collection was far from, well, basic.
11:39The shapes are always very modern. The materials are very, very textured.
11:4412 special dolls were styled by some of the top designers at the time, including Devi Kroll.
11:52The accessories designers Barbie wore a black wrap dress and golden thigh-high boots with a bedazzled
11:57pink purse. Kroll's one-of-a-kind doll went for $1,075 at a Council of Fashion Designers of America
12:04auction for charity. I think people want to be unique. They would like to have pieces that are
12:08not what their neighbor would typically wear.
12:11Number 8. Pink Diamond Barbie. Fashion designers Philippe and David Blonde, aka The Blondes,
12:17are known for their celebrity clientele.
12:19Anything in the works.
12:21Ooh, lots in the works, but none that we can talk about. So you just have to keep your eyes open.
12:26The duo thrilled everyone by working with Mattel's principal designer, Bill Greening,
12:31to construct Pink Diamond Barbie. The sparkling beauty was decked out in shades of, you guessed it,
12:36pink. Her fuchsia mini dress and matching shoes were elevated with gems by hand.
12:41It was f***ing magical. That's what it was. Magic. If you've ever seen magic.
12:46Her pink jewelry is equally dazzling, and the light pink faux fur coat pulls the whole over-the-top look
12:52together. Making her debut at New York Fashion Week, Pink Diamond Barbie's value was pegged at $15,000,
12:59and she was auctioned off for the MAC AIDS Fund organization.
13:08Number 7. Original Barbie.
13:10This is a big deal, you guys. This is a huge moment for me.
13:13She's the doll that started it all. So it's no surprise that OG Barbie, full name Barbara
13:19Millicent Roberts, is a rare find. The date was March 9th, 1959, when Mattel introduced the doll
13:25at the American International Toy Fair in New York. The men didn't know what to do with her.
13:30It was very polarizing and very uncomfortable to see this womanly-figured toy for children.
13:37She sported a one-piece striped bathing suit with dangling hoop earrings,
13:41white cat-eye sunglasses, and a ponytail. And while Barbie is known for her blonde hair,
13:46the original doll also came as a brunette. Believe it or not, Barbie only cost $3 in the early days.
13:53In 1994, Mattel released a reproduction of the doll that you can find for under $100.
13:59But for a vintage mint condition original, the price can reportedly be over $25,000.
14:05This is really cool. I'm so happy I have this in my life, and I'm pretty much going to hide it in a
14:10dark place in my house and never tell anyone I have it. Except for now in this video.
14:15Number 6. Karl Lagerfeld Barbie Barbie is no stranger to the fashion industry.
14:21Her first job was a teenage model, after all.
14:26Mattel crafted its Karl Lagerfeld Barbie to resemble the German fashion designer,
14:31emulating his iconic icy blonde ponytail, largely black ensemble, and crisp white high-collar shirt.
14:37And it wouldn't be a truly Karl look without the signature shades and fingerless gloves.
14:46The chic outfit also included a belt with a buckle displaying Lagerfeld's profile.
14:50Upon release in September 2014, luxury retailer Net-A-Porter, who reportedly carried the $200
14:57exclusive doll, sold out almost immediately. If you manage to track one down on eBay,
15:02do not be surprised if you end up handing over more than $11,000.
15:11Number 5. Pink Splendor Barbie
15:14We all know Barbie can wear anything, but pink is undeniably her color.
15:18Well, is it any wonder when she pulls it off so well?
15:21Don't you know they're black and whites for classic movies?
15:25Pink Splendor Barbie has it all. The gorgeous light pink ball gown screams elegance,
15:30with glittering gold accents and roses down the back. Even her hair is grand,
15:35with a tall braided updo. Reportedly, just 10,000 of the dolls were made. And with an initial $900
15:42price tag, you'd be hard-pressed to find a pricier retail Barbie.
15:45One, two, three. I guess the fancy carriage will have to wait until next year.
15:52If you love all the extravagant pink and sparkle, then Pink Splendor Barbie is perfect for your
15:58collection. But it will set you back a good amount.
16:01Oh, Liana. I know. Well, let's salvage what we can.
16:07Number 4. De Beers 40th Anniversary Barbie
16:10You've likely seen De Beers' jewels on your favorite celebs like Rihanna and Selena Gomez.
16:20Back in 1999, Mattel joined forces with the luxury jewelry retailer to design a special
16:25edition doll to commemorate Barbie's 40th anniversary.
16:28So horribly exciting.
16:30This ultra-rare creation was eye-catching in her laid-back pink and orange sheer
16:35ensemble and long dark hair. And if anything could distract from the doll's bejeweled,
16:39barely-there bikini top, it is definitely the 160 diamond-encrusted belt.
16:45The De Beers Barbie reportedly cost $85,000, making it one of the most expensive out there.
16:52The diamond castle in my mind
16:56Number 3. Marie Antoinette Barbie
17:00When Mattel released their Women of Royalty series,
17:03we got none other than the Marie Antoinette Barbie.
17:06Modelled after the 18th century Queen of France, she has an exquisitely intricate design.
17:11Her extravagant layered pale blue court dress is adorned in bows with gold detail that's nothing
17:17short of show-stopping. She also dons a feather headpiece as well as a necklace and has roses in her hand.
17:23True to her real-life counterpart, the Marie Antoinette Barbie is a vision of utter opulence.
17:35And to no one's surprise, this regal Barbie costs a pretty penny, with most priced over $2,000.
17:41And when they went to the Queen to tell her her subject had no bread, do you know what she said?
17:50Let them eat cake.
17:52Number 2. Lorraine Schwartz Barbie
17:54Like fellow designer Debbie Kroll, Lorraine Schwartz created a doll for Mattel's Barbie Basics collection in 2010.
18:01She had a way of wearing anything and just making it look amazing.
18:05Naturally, the jeweler's doll was dripping in diamonds, including dangling earrings,
18:11multiple breathtaking bracelets, detailing on her heels, and a diamond-encrusted bee around her waist.
18:17Keeping with the classic LBD theme, she wore a short black dress with the long scarf.
18:22But aside from the bling, the red hair really made her stand out among the others.
18:27Schwartz's Barbie apparently sold at the Council of Fashion Designers of America's charity auction for $7,500.
18:34But it was reportedly valued at $25,000.
18:38Hello, how are you?
18:39Kind of like, hi.
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18:54Number 1. Barbie by Stefano Canturi
18:59They say diamonds are a girl's best friend, and apparently that goes for Barbie too.
19:09Australian jewelry designer Stefano Canturi was meticulous in crafting the ultimate white diamond choker for a special edition Barbie,
19:17which he fittingly designed around a particular centerpiece.
19:20I searched for one of the rarest diamonds in the world, an Australian argyle pink diamond.
19:27And pink is absolutely perfect for Barbie.
19:29And that's saying nothing of the ring.
19:32Meanwhile, her high fashion ponytail and mini party dress allowed the jewels to really shine.
19:37In 2010, the only Stefano Canturi Barbie in existence was auctioned for a whopping $302,500,
19:45with proceeds for the pricey doll going to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
19:49The doll was dubbed, quote, the most valuable Barbie in history.
19:53The world's most famous doll has yet another asset to be jealous of.
19:59Which of these rare Barbies would you love to get your hands on?
20:02Let us know in the comments below.
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