17 Most Valuable Barbie & Ken Dolls & Their Current Worth
Barbie and Ken collectibles—some of which are worth thousands of dollars and wear real diamonds—have attracted fresh interest thanks in part to Greta Gerwig's Barbie movie. Greta Gerwig's Barbie included a few vintage Barbie doll variants and outfits worth a small fortune in real life. While other dolls are sold for enormous quantities across eBay and Etsy, rare Barbies have sold for thousands at charitable auctions. Because of their significance in Barbie history, some Barbies and Kens will fetch high prices; others just because they are sporting actual diamonds. The price tags on the most costly Barbie dolls vary greatly as well; some are just a few hundred dollars while others are hundreds of thousands.
The Value of a Rare Ken
Although Barbie has many Easter Egg and toy references—including Ruth Handler's (Rhea Perlman) appearance—many of the most expensive Barbies were absent. Usually, Barbies are more valuable than Ken dolls; but, if they end up discontinued or exhibit a rare anomaly, their value may vary. Barbie, though, is the brand's face; when famous designers collaborate with Mattel to create a unique doll, they will choose to create a Barbie doll. Like Ryan Gosling says, "He's just Ken."
Completely Hair Ken
Early in the 1990s came a Totally Hair Barbie and Ken release. While several dolls are listed on eBay at prices near $50, the gamer says "the Ken doll is considered the rarer of the two" and estimates the value of the doll to be $375. Cosmopolitan, on the other hand, believes the Totally Hair Barbie to be valued $175. Both dolls have vividly colored clothing that reminds me of the ones Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling wear as Barbie and Ken entering the real world.
The price difference stems from two separate iterations of the Totally Hair Ken. Given a lower hairline and better facial screening, the $50 version sold on eBay most certainly is the second edition. There was a matte facial finish and his eyes were also more oval-shaped. The first edition, which made one-time use of a rooted head mold, is the more valuable variation. The one that is most sold has greasy facial finish and a thinner hairline.
Gianfranco Ken Doll
Designed by Robert Best, the limited edition Gianfranco Ken doll is a Barbie Fashion Model Collection item. There were only 3,300 dolls ever produced, and collectors acquired a gold label upon acquiring this particular doll upon October 10, 2014 sales. Ken dons a brand-name suit, tie, and shoe set. Although The Gamer figures the cost of this doll to be $75, several are listed on eBay for between $190 and $250; Amazon lists the Gianfranco doll at $250.
Regarding design, the Gianfranco Ken doll sports a black flocked trim on a cotton blazer. He also sporting dark blue jeans, slim black tie and a white tailored shirt. Originally only available as a limited edition doll, it immediately shot in price once it ran out and should keep rising as it gets harder to find.
Brunette Flocked Hair Ken Doll, First-Issue
Originally fashioned with "flocked hairstyles," which were basically with a piece of felt fastened to the head, Ken dolls Mattel quickly discovered, though, that the design changed and the hairpiece would fall off if it got wet. Still, this rare discontinued doll is today a prized collector item. The gamer claims that this 1961 Ken doll is valued roughly $450. For the complete value of the collectible, this Ken doll must also be kept still sealed in its original box.
Few flocked-hair Ken dolls with the same red-and- white striped jacket are listed on eBay for prices ranging from $20 to $200. Ken has the doll with his swim trunks and accessories: a towel, sandals, a stand to keep him straight, and a booklet. Though there were three variations with varying hair colors—brunette, blonde, and "brownette"—the brunette version is the one most in demand. In 1963 the replacement with painted hair showed up.
Athena Barbata
From 2008 to 2010, Mattel produced a line of Greek Goddess Barbies comprising Medusa, Aphrodite, and Athena (albeit Medusa is not a goddess). Additionally unreleased was an Artemis doll (via Barbie Wiki). Published in 2005, the first Percy Jackson and the Olympians book may have been created by Mattel in response to growing Greek mythological interest as the sequel books were released. Cosmopolitan claims that just 5,300 Gold Label Athena Barbie dolls were produced.
Released in 2010 as the last of this produced set, the Athena Barbie is valued at $700 or more; some toy experts think this total will increase as the years go on and they become rarer outside of collectors. This could explain why it is worth more than Medusa and Aphrodite since it is likely that the fact this was the last of the set released—with Artemis not produced—meant a smaller total was made. Athena arrived sporting the same face as Medusa Barbie, gold boots, battle armour, and a golden shield.
Moonlight Tuxedo Barbie
Part of the Official Barbie Collector Club Exinctives, the 2001 Midnight Tuxedo Barbie sports a long dark dress akin to a tuxedo. Members of this exclusive club membership can buy limited-edition dolls just available to other members of the club. Their limited production makes them highly valuable and collectible compared to most other Barbies as well. Holiday Barbie Dolls and Hollywood Divine Barbies are two instances here. Still, the Midnight Tuxedo Barbie is the priciest.
An unopened Midnight Tuxedo Barbie doll is valued $1,000, claims Cosmopolitan. On sale, though, Amazon lists a different Midnight Tuxedo Barbie variant for just $70. The primary limited edition model sports a floor-length black gown matched with a fur stole. She wears a sleeveless gown and has dramatic makeup applied on her face.
1989 saw the Pink Jubilee Barbie.
Not only born in 1989 is Taylor Swift a pop cultural icon. So was this brilliant Barbie doll, even if it might not be the doll that every Barbie fan is familiar with? Not every Barbie doll created is made for sale to the public. While there have been some that are one-of-a-kind created by designers, others are created in batches for special events. That’s the case with the Pink Jubilee Barbie. It was crafted in 1989 for Barbie’s 30th anniversary.
Mattel hosted a celebration of the 30th anniversary at New York’s Lincoln Center. The doll was a guest for those in attendance, which means a limited number of them exist. She’s got a very 1980s design, in keeping with the end of the decade, with a pink and silver gown, big har, and sparkling earrings. The doll has sold on auction sites like Ebay in the past for $1,300.
Enchanted Evening Barbie (1961)
When the Barbie movie was released, collectors speculated that the value of Barbie dolls depicted in the movie would increase as a result of the movie’s popularity. Some of Barbie’s past designs also influenced Margot Robbie’s red carpet looks during the promotional period for the movie. Robbie wore quite a few outfits that fans could compare to classic Barbies. It was speculated that the value of those particular dolls would see a jump in the market as well.
When Robbie attended the London premiere of the movie, fans were quick to try to figure out which Barbie inspired the look. It was eventually revealed that stylist Andrew Mkamal was inspired by the Enchanted Evening Barbie, which debuted in 1961. Since that reveal, the price has continued to go up for collectors selling Barbies online. One sold on Ebay for $1,670.
Marie Antoinette Barbie
According to Reader's Digest, the 2003 Marie Antoinette Barbie "Sold for $1,250 on eBay in 2016," while "prices range from $1,500 to $3,500 today." The doll features an elaborate gray period dress and hairstyle with a hat embellished with a feather. It also has a diamond necklace, which goes well with the eventual worth of this specific Barbie doll. The doll itself was released as part of Mattel's Women of Royalty Series and is based on the 1783 portrait of Marie Antoinette.
Other dolls released in this series include the Queen Elizabeth I Barbie and the Empress Josephine Barbie. Several Marie Antoinette Barbies are listed on eBay, probably because it is a relatively recent addition to the Barbie brand. While Marie Antoinette is one of the more expensive dolls, she is not necessarily the most rare.
Francie Barbie (1960s)
In the modern world, Barbie and her friends have gone through a whole array of design changes to make the doll more accurately reflect modern women. There are dolls in the Barbie line of all shapes, sizes, and skin tones. That wasn’t the case in the 1960s when Barbie started to become the most coveted toy around. During the decade, however, Mattel did make the first Black Barbie.
The first Black Barbie doll was called Francie Barbie and was made from the same plastic mold as the original, so she didn’t have any features to distinguish her as new other than her skin tone. They were made in a very small quantity, likely because of racial tension at the time. It’s incredibly hard to find a Francie Barbie intact today. If a Barbie fan is able to find one, Francie last sold among collectors for over $4,000.
Karl Lagerfeld Barbie (2014)
Only 900 Karl Lagerfeld Barbie dolls were produced in 2014, initially sold by the luxury fashion retailer Net-a-Porter for $200 each. The doll was an instant success, selling out in just 45 minutes with no plans to make more. This was because Net-a-Porter utilized a social media campaign that launched during Paris Fashion Week, where the Lagerfeld Barbie was the company's "correspondent" for the week's festivities. The quick sellout of the doll ensured that it would become a high-priced rarity in later years.
This Barbie's price has skyrocketed in recent years, with Reader's Digest reporting that a Lagerfeld Barbie sold on eBay for $5,275 in May 2023, while Cosmopolitan claims that the doll will sell for as much as $11,400. The doll is dressed in Karl Lagerfeld’s trademark monochrome KARL label attire.
Lagerfeld passed away in 2019 and never had a chance to see the Barbie movie arrive on the big screen.
Lorraine Schwartz Barbie
Only 12 Lorraine Schwartz Barbies were made in 2010, modeled after the American jewelry designer. According to news.artet.com, Schwartz designed the Barbie herself, which includes real diamond accessories along with a stylish little black dress. There is also a diamond encrusted "B" on Barbie's waist. The Schwartz Barbie's earrings, bracelets, studded heels, and initial belt cost $25,000 together, while one of the Barbies was auctioned off for $7,500 at a fundraiser for the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation.
This also played out thanks to the Barbie movie release. When Margot Robbie showed up at the Los Angeles world premiere for the movie, she wore four diamond Lorraine Schwartz necklaces to the event, which was a nice callback to this rare and expensive Barbie doll (via instoremag.com). The total of those diamonds Robbie wore was 250 carats.
Celebration 2000 Barbie (2000)
Millennials with a Barbie doll collection will likely want to see if they still have one of these in their original packaging. Mattel, especially at the turn of the century, made a lot of special edition Barbie dolls. A different doll was made every year for the holiday season, a line of dolls from different countries were released, and even a line of historic figures. One of those special edition dolls is the Celebration 2000 Barbie.
She was released to celebrate the dawning of the new millennium and kids and parents alike wanted one, believing she would be a historic Barbie to hold on to. Parents weren’t wrong. Today, if the doll is in mint condition, she can sell for more than $11,000 on Ebay. That’s a huge jump from the original $29.99 price tag a lot of toy retailers sold her for.
Pink Diamond Barbie (2012)
With Barbie being such an iconic toy, it’s not surprising that several fashion designers have collaborated with Mattel over the years to make unique looks for the dolls. When that happens, there’s often a line of Barbie dolls sold, but also a higher value one that is one-of-a-kind. That’s the case with the Pink Diamond Barbie, which was created by The Blonds, the design team of Phillipe and David Blond. The duo teamed up with Mattel to create a doll that sold for $125 in 2012, but they also designed a doll to be auctioned off for charity.
The Pink Diamond Barbie was inspired by one of their 2008 runway looks. She is clad in a pink dress and pumps made of fuschia and rose colored gems that were hand-embellished by the designers. She also wore a fur coat and earrings to complete the ensemble. When the doll went up for auction, it was estimated to be worth $15,000, and the money went to the MAC AIDS Fund.
Original Barbie
The Original Barbie was released in 1959, featuring blonde hair tied back in a ponytail, dramatic makeup, gold earrings, and the iconic black and white striped bathing suit. Margot Robbie's "stereotypical Barbie" notably wears this outfit in the opening scene of Barbie where little girls smash their old baby dolls after discovering the first Barbie doll. When she was first released, the dolls sold for $3 each.
This early Barbie doll set the template for what was to come. It was marketed as a "Teen age Fashion Model" and creator Ruth Handler wanted to create a doll that was more adult in nature (and she named it after her daughter, Barbara). About 350,000 were sold in that first year, but they remain hard to come by now in mint condition. This means they are worth a lot when collectors find them. While the doll was re-released for special anniversaries, a true original edition will sell for $27,000 or more (Reader's Digest).
De Beers 40th Anniversary Barbie
The second-most expensive Barbie ever made also wears real diamonds as part of her ensemble. In 1999, Barbie collaborated with the De Beers diamond jewelry store to design a doll to celebrate De Beers' 40th anniversary. This Barbie wears a gold bikini top, a full-length sheer skirt, and a tangerine sheer wrap. She also has a belt comprised of 160 small diamonds from the De Beers jewelry company. The Barbie also had raven-colored hair, and it was unlike any other Barbie on the market at the time, standing out for more than just the diamonds.
The doll sold for $85,000 the same year it was made during an auction (Reader's Digest). The diamonds are likely what pushed the price up when it was auctioned off, but the clothes were also intricately made and designed.
Error Barbie & Ken She Said Yes Doll Set
The Barbie & Ken "She Said Yes" set features Barbie in a swimsuit that resembles the Original Barbie's outfit with Ken in swim trunks and a lipstick mark on his face, supposedly after getting engaged. The regular version of this set is listed at $50 on Amazon. However, some sets feature the rare mistake of Ken having a beard. It is not clear if Mattel officially branded this doll set or if it was modified after the fact, but that doesn't lower the price tag when it comes to the Ken doll's facial hair changes.
According to the Daily Mail, if the set includes this mistake, it might be worth $100,000. This sum is based on a recent listing on eBay, which calls the beard a "mistake." It might be questionable to call it a "mistake," but it is a rare doll set and might be one-of-a-kind, which explains the very high asking price.
Stefano Canturi Barbie
The most expensive Barbie ever sold is the Stefano Canturi Barbie, who wears a little black dress and heels with a real diamond necklace created by Austrian jewelry designer Stefano Canturi (via canturi.com). It took Canturi four weeks to design this unique Barbie from head to toe. The Barbie wears a Canturi necklace, with his Cubism style as the cut diamonds. They end up being one carat square, with cut pink diamonds tendered from an Australian Argyle mine. She also has a diamond ring on her hand.
This doll was auctioned off for $302,500 and the profits were donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (via Reader's Digest).
Barbie was so popular that Barbie 2 rumors were inevitable, and some of these rare dolls could even appear in the sequel. The writers could certainly create a way for the Stefano Canturi Barbie to somehow make an appearance.
The Barbie Movie
Barbie is a film adaptation of the generational iconic toy directed by Greta Gerwig, who co-wrote the script with Noah Baumbach. The film centers on Margot Robbie's Barbie who is expelled from Barbieland and travels with Ken (Ryan Gosling) to the real world in search of happiness. The film also stars Simu Liu, Will Ferrell, and several other famous celebrities in cameo roles.
