Which Ponytail Barbie do you have? There are 6 versions of the vintage ponytail Barbie, and their value varies from a few thousand dollars to a few hundred.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 15 minutes
Here's How:
- Examine your ponytail Barbie. Note her facial features, skin color, feet, feel of her torso and hair.
- Note the markings on Barbie's behind.
- Does your doll have white irises, severely arched eyebrows and holes in her feet/copper tubing in legs? Is the original swimsuit black and white zebra? Is her skin faded white? Does her torso feel solid?
- If all in #3 above is true, and if your doll's markings are Barbie™/Pats.Pend./©MCMLVIII/by Mattel/Inc, then you have a #1 ponytail Barbie. This doll can be worth several thousand dollars.
- If your Barbie meets all of the criteria in step 3 and 4 EXCEPT that she does not have holes in her feet/copper tubing, then you have a #2 ponytail Barbie doll, which also can be worth several thousand dollars.
- If your Barbie meets the criteria of step 4 EXCEPT that the doll has blue irises AND the eyebrows are curved, THEN you have a #3 ponytail Barbie doll. #3s can have blue OR brown eyeliner and they sometimes smell like crayola crayons. This doll is worth several hundred dollars.
- If your Barbie meets the criteria in step 5 EXCEPT that her skin tone is tan, then you have a #4 ponytail. #4s and above only have blue eyeliner.
- If your Barbie meets the criteria in step 5, EXCEPT that the body is hollow (not solid) and the doll is marked Barbie® and NOT Barbie ™ then you have a #5. #5s were also the first to come as a redhead, so if you have a redhead, its a #5 or #6.
- Finally, IF your Barbie wears an original red jersey swimsuit, and it has a slightly chubbier face, you most likely have a #6. Some experts do not differentiate between a #5 or a #6, and there is little difference in value.
- You know for sure if you have a #6 ponytail if the markings read "Midge™/© 1962/Barbie®/© 1958/by/Mattel, Inc" (only #6s produced in 1963 and 1964 had this marking).
Tips:
- Reproduction ponytails were produced by Mattel in the 1990s. Reproductions are marked Barbie/©1958, 1993/Mattel, Inc./Malaysia.
- Differences can be subtle to an untrained eye; if you are having trouble, find some photos on the Internet or a Barbie value guide to show you differences in eyebrows and skin tones.
