Toys played a large part in most of our childhoods, no matter how old you are or what era you grew up in. We would create fantastical stories for them to play out and let our imaginations run wild as we played. The same can be said for Barbie and Ken dolls. Any young girl (or boy) is bound to have memories of playing with their beloved Barbie and Ken dolls when they were younger.
Created in 1959 and manufactured by Mattel, Inc., the fashion dolls were an instant hit. The Barbie brand has been a wide success since its initial launch over fifty years ago and has made many young children have happy childhoods while playing with the iconic dolls.
But for those kids—or adults—who had more restraint than the average individual, they may have kept their dolls in near perfect condition. And if that was the case, and you are one of those individuals, you will definitely want to read this entire list thoroughly. Because many of Barbie's many different dolls they have created over the years are now worth a whole lot of money. This means that at this very moment, you could have a Barbie or Ken doll that is worth a pretty penny. So without further ado, here are The 30 Rarest Barbie And Ken Dolls (And How Much They Are Worth).
30 First-Issue Brunette Flocked Hair Ken Doll (Worth $450)
In the early days of Ken dolls, Ken had a specific hairstyle that would later be changed. They called his hair the "flocked hairstyle," which collector's look for when purchasing a first-issue Ken Doll from 1960-1961. It was made of felt, but once the manufacturer realized his hair would fall out when wet, they changed it to a plastic, molded hairstyle.
If you have a "Flocked-Hair Ken Doll" in his original box, with him in his swim trunks and accompanied by his towel, sandals, and stand, you could easily get an estimated $450.
29 Midnight Tuxedo Barbie (Worth $995)
The Midnight Tuxedo Barbie comes with a hefty price tag if you are looking to collect the doll.
But if you have one on hand already, this is great news for you, because the doll is worth an estimated $995.As always, it is more valuable if the doll comes never removed from its box. Other features of the Barbie include a floor-length black high-fashion gown with a matching faux fur stole. It was originally released on New Year's Day in 2001 and is known for her dramatic makeup and flowing mane. It's also limited edition.
28 Lucky Charm Ken Doll (Worth $1,200)
This platinum label Ken Doll was one of the more recent releases since it came out in 2017, and it was released at the Madrid Convention that year. His shoes are, in fact, real leather, and he was exclusive to the Madrid Barbie convention, making this doll a limited release.
He now goes for roughly $1,200 and is coveted amongst collectors since there are only 500 that exist. The box and pictures on it are especially vibrant and unique, which makes this doll an even more incredible find.
27 Monique Lhuillier Bride Barbie (Worth $1,600)
This special edition bridal Barbie doll featuring an incredible gown from fashion designer Monique Lhuillier has become very expensive despite the fact it has been on the market for only 12 years.
It is worth an estimated $1,600 and its rarest quality is the fact it is actually signed by Monique Lhuillier herself.
It is now seen as a collector's item amongst Barbie collectors thanks to the fashion designer and creative director's involvement in the doll's creation. So if you have this one hiding in your garage, you might want to break it out soon.
26 Marie Antoinette Barbie (Worth $2,000)
Any history buff will likely want to get their hands on this doll since its likeness to the former Queen of France, Marie Antoinette, is pretty incredible. The details in the Barbie is astounding enough, but if you have this doll in its original box with the gold label, she is sure to sell for at least $2,000.
This doll was released in Barbie's The Women of Royalty series where the likes of Cleopatra and Elizabeth the Great were also amongst the royal dolls.
25 Nascar Official Barbie (Worth $2,293)
Nascar Barbie was the official collaboration between the Barbie brand and Nascar that came out in 1999. Now, if you find one of these Barbie dolls in mint condition in its original packaging, it could be worth an estimated $2,300 or even higher.
Of course, while there are plenty of the Nascar dolls being sold online, most are not in their original packaging or in mint condition. It is preferred that they are and will definitely drive the price tag up if they are in perfect condition.
24 MattelCool Shaving Ken Doll (Worth $334)
This next one is a doll I certainly remember having when I was growing up. It was always fun to "magically" shave Ken's five o'clock shadow before his big date with Barbie.
Now, the doll that was released in 1995 is worth roughly $334 on eBay. For those who have the original Ken shaving doll in his original packaging with all of his "magic" shaving accessories, you can make a good chunk of change. That is if you are willing to part with the doll in the first place, of course.
23 Empress Josephine Barbie (Worth $1,099)
Empress Josephine is another Barbie doll that was a part of the Women of Royalty Series. She has a very elaborate, finely detailed gown that cannot be taken off the doll with gorgeous gold painted shoes.
It was originally released in 2005, and if she is in her original packaging with the gold label, she is worth roughly $1,099 today.
She is more suited for the adult collector's, as Barbie states on their website, which makes sense with all of the intricate details of the doll.
22 Chicago Cubs Barbie (Worth $2,000)
Obviously, there have been several different iterations of Barbie over the many years the brand has been around. But one of the rarest actually came out in 2000 and it was the special edition Chicago Cubs Fan Barbie.
This Barbie doll is now considered to be very, very rare with a price tag of at least $2,000. Of course, if the doll isn't in perfect condition, it could go for slightly less, but still won't typically sell for any less than $1,800.
21 Vintage Barbie Ken Kenny Rockstar Doll (Worth $350)
Rock n' Roll was all the rage in the 1980s, so it makes perfect sense that Barbie would come out with their own version of a rock star Ken doll. And he was called the Ken Kenny Rock Star Doll and was released in 1985.
This Ken doll is one of the rarer and is considered a collector's item. When the Kenny Rock Star doll comes in good condition in its original boxing, it makes him all the more valuable and can sell on eBay for an estimated $350.
20 “Sales Resistance!” I Love Lucy Barbie Doll (Worth $1,050)
Plenty of famous actresses or classic characters have been immortalized by the Barbie brand by creating their very own doll and Lucille Ball of I Love Lucy! fame was not immune to this treatment.
This specific I Love Lucy! Barbie doll was modeled after how Lucy looked in the classic "Sales Resistance" episode of the show.
Since its release in 2004, its value has gone up and is now worth $1,050. If you have this collector's doll, you should seize this opportunity to make a quick grand.
19 Totally Hair Ken Doll (Worth $375)
The Totally Hair Ken Doll from 1991 was the epitome of everything that the '90s was. Bright neon colors with windbreakers and baggy pants and it even includes the signature '90s guy hair, of course. It is the Totally Hair Ken Doll, after all.
There was also a Totally Hair Barbie Doll, but the Ken doll is the one that is considered a collector's item. If kept in great condition, it can sell up to $375 online. Just make sure everything from the original packaging is included.
18 Philipp Plein 50th Anniversary Platinum Barbie (Worth $2,500)
Phillipp Plein is a German fashion designer...and a serious Barbie collector. So no wonder the Barbie brand picked him to design his own Barbie doll in 2009. Because there were only 999 made and it was released at the biggest toy fair in the world in Nuremberg, Germany, it has become a hot commodity in the Barbie collecting world.
This was the 50th-anniversary exclusive doll, as well, and with its very limited edition status, it makes perfect sense that the value went all the way up to $2,500.
17 Crystal Ken Doll (Worth $256)
If you've ever wondered what an 80's prom version of the Ken doll might look like, look no further than the Crystal Ken doll. It came out in 1983 and its tagline even read that it was "the handsomest Ken ever!".
While the price that the Crystal Ken doll goes for varies, it is a collector's item and those who have kept him in pristine condition can sell him for a $256 according to eBay. Just make sure all of Ken's tux details are looking sharp as ever.
16 Chataine Barbie Doll (Worth $1,150)
The Chataine Barbie doll is described on the official Barbie website as "a brunette version of Capucine Barbie," and that the "Chataine Barbie doll radiates opulence balanced by sheer sophistication." In other words, this is a gorgeous and fancy Barbie doll that any collector would love to get their hands on.
This is especially true because she is a limited edition doll. She was released on New Year's Day 2003 and is now worth an estimated $1,150. Bonus points if she is in mint condition in her original packaging, of course.
15 Harley Davidson Series 1 Ken Doll (Worth $100)
Harley Davidson did an entire series of Ken dolls for the Barbie brand and they certainly gave Ken the bad boy look that every motorcyclist in the '90s was known for.
He sports a faux leather jacket with blue jeans and his helmet tucked under his arm.
Like a lot of the dolls on this list, this special edition Ken doll varies in pricing but if you have the original series #1 doll, you could potentially earn yourself a nice $100.
14 Debut Silkstone Barbie Doll (Worth $1,150)
We may not have gotten to the original Barbie doll's rarity and worth quite yet, but in the meantime, we have Robert Best's interpretation of the original doll that was released for Barbie's 50th anniversary back in 2009. This gold label doll from the Barbie Fashion Model collection looks remarkably similar to the original doll while still having its own twist to it.
She is a Silkstone Barbie—which basically means she is made from a harder plastic that mimics porcelain—so that is partially why she is a coveted doll. Now she is worth $1,150 even though she was released only 10 years ago.
13 Calvin Klein Barbie (Worth $1,414)
Limited edition fashion designer Barbie dolls have been all the rage for quite some time. Which is why Calvin Klein designed his own Barbie back in 1996. She was dressed as a hip girl who is completely decked out in Calvin Klein labeled clothing.
Everything about this doll screamed Calvin Klein from her baseball cap to her underwear apparently, at least according to the official Barbie website. Now the doll is worth roughly $1,414 depending on the condition of the doll and packaging.
12 Mattel Gianfranco Ken Doll BFC Exclusive (Worth $75)
We have seen plenty of Fashion Barbie dolls on this list, but now we have a Fashion Ken doll. Designed by Robert Best, the Gianfranco Ken doll is a gold label doll from the Barbie Fashion Model Collection.
It was released a short time ago in 2014, but only 3,300 were produced.
This makes it a limited edition and exclusive doll and the fact he's also a Silkstone doll makes him even more special. It's almost a steal that you can buy a Gianfranco Ken doll for just $75.
11 City Smart Silkstone Barbie (Worth $2,995)
The City Smart Barbie doll was meant to give off "an air of cool refinement" when it was released in 2003, according to their official website. And it did just that with this Barbie's sophisticated and fashionable look.
This is also not only another Robert Best designed Barbie doll but is also a Silkstone Barbie doll, which we know is a wonderful and exclusive quality to have. This could be why it goes for nearly $3,000, as well as the fact there are only 600 in the world that exists.
