Yard sale season is upon us ! And sooner or later, the dedicated 'sale-er' will find a boxload of Barbies, and wonder...are these the kind that are worth $$$$ - or not worth the $10. price on the box ? While most of us buy what we like and to the nethers what he or she is worth, it's fun to sell on eBay - and take the profits to buy what you'd really like ! And it might be worth it to know when you come across something worth claiming. There's a lot to know about collecting dolls, but here's a few 'quick and dirty' ways of distinguishing the ones that could be very valuable from the ones that are barely worth brushing their hair. Unless, of course, you've fallen in love with the latest addition to your doll family !

1) Markings - if it's on the small of her back, she's fairly recent, and probably won't bring much. Even the reproduction dolls that *look* old have the markings on the back, not the butt. If it's on one cheek of her tush, you may have something ! If the marks on her tush are Roman numerals - grab her ! Only the really early ones (read : $$$ !) have Roman numerals.

*Please* don't think a doll is vintage (1959-1972, brings the most traffic and cash) if her marks read '1966'. You can find the same mark on dolls for sale at Wal-Mart right now. That's simply the date the very familiar mold was copyrighted.

Also, Barbie had lots of copies - ones not made by Mattel ! You know how it is with success, everyone else tries to copy it (coughBratzMyScenehack). While those markings are hard to read, they'll always have "Mattel" in there somewhere. There's a market for vintage 'clones', so if it's inexpensive, go ahead and grab her. Just don't expect $3000. for a 'Betty' copy !

2) Eyelashes - if they're painted on, $. If they're 'real', sort of like fake eyelashes rooted into the doll, she may be worth your investment. Many dolls of that era (mid to late 60s) are starting to bring some big bucks - often $100. or more. If they look like tiny shelves above the doll's eyes (and she has tush markings, not back ones !), there's a good chance she's vintage, and the market is always there for those !

3)Arms/fingers - if the arms are bent, she's 80s, and would need to be exceptional to bring more than ten bucks. If the pinky fingers are separated from the others, check the markings - she may be vintage. Conversely, if she's vintage, make sure she has pinkies. Broken or missing ones really bring a doll's value down.

4) Eyes - generally the bigger they are, the cheaper she is. Babs started out having rather small, colorless eyes with a bare minimum of 'makeup'. Sidelong glances indicate older dolls, too. Her 'friends' often have straight ahead gazes - but they bring a lot less money that she does.

If she's passed the tests, make sure her feet aren't chewed, her ears aren't green (chemical reaction of the older vinyl to the cheap metal earrings Mattel gave her), her neck isn't split, her face paint is mostly there, etc - for just a few bucks, you may have a real gold-mine ! Especially if she's in good shape.

And, hey, if the dolls are cheap enough, you can still sell dolls with green ear and chews for a profit. Many customizers and collectors will buy nice heads on damaged bodies and damaged heads on good bodies, and make one good doll out of two - or use 'em to experiment with new repair techniques. And even the cheapest dolls sell - to parents, customizers, day-care centers, collectors. Just make sure you don't pay too much for the investment !

If you come across a box of dolls cheap (I'm jealous !), it might be worth your time to use eBay's 'Closed Auctions' search to see if you can find what you have. Google 'Barbie' for great websites with tons of photos. Or peruse collector books at your library or bookshop. 'Blonde Nude Barbie' won't bring much - but a correctly identified '#2 Blonde Ponytail' will !

Of course, the best doll investment at a yard sale is to buy what you like ! Oh, and don't forget Barbie clothing - some older outfits sell for more than the dolls ! I've seen Dollar Tree outfits sell for $5. on eBay, a phenomenon I've never understood, and I'm too chicken to try. Non-Barbie dolls (made by Kenner, Hasbro, Ideal, Marx, etc.) have their fans, too, so don't be shy if you can buy 'em cheap.

If you've reclaimed your childhood dolls, and hope to pass them along to an appreciative fan, write me ! Or tour eBay's 'Closed Auctions' search to learn what it sold for. Don't toss anything - those brochures, cases, tarnished jewelry, even broken single shoes have someone looking for them. Single shoes may have a mate halfway across the nation, and buying one instead of a vintage pair is almost always much cheaper. And there's always someone out there who cleans, repairs, and restores. If you're gonna sell, know the market and know what you have. If you're buying, it's a tough market, so it behooves you to know what you want and how it looks - and it's fun to study doll books and magazines ! Some of the outfits you come across may inspire you to sew your own version, and re-reading old doll magazines is a great way to spend a rainy Saturday.

Happy hunting !