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 Level: 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 Barbies behind.
- Does your doll have white irises, severely arched eyebrows and holes in her feet/copper tubing in legs? Is the original swimsuit a white and black zebra suit? Is her skin faded nearly white? Does her torso feel solid? Are the markings Barbie™/Pats. Pend./©MCMLVIII/by Mattel/Inc? If so, congratulations! You have a #1 ponytail Barbie.
- If your Barbie meets all of the criteria in step 3 EXCEPT that she does not have holes in her feet/copper tubing, then you have a #2 ponytail.
- 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. #3s can have blue OR brown eyeliner and they sometimes smell like crayola crayons.
- 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 ponytail. #5s were also the first to come as a redhead, so if you have a redhead you immediately know that it is a #5 or #6. #5s also sometimes have a 'greasy" face from migrating plasticizer.
- Finally, IF your Barbie wears an original red jersey swimsuit, and it has a slightly chubbier face, your Barbie is most likely 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).
- Reproduction ponytails were produced by Mattel in the 1990s. Reproductions are marked Barbie/©1958, 1993/Mattel, Inc./Malaysia.
Related Features:
