Invented by Ruth Handler in 1959, Barbie has grown into a worldwide phenomenon. The doll was made in a time where very few girls’ toys existed and the ones that did were typically paper cut-out “dolls” portraying mothers. Ruth wanted a toy for her daughter, Barbara (who Barbie is named after), to have endless play opportunities.

“My whole philosophy of Barbie was that, through the doll, the little girl could be anything she wanted to be. Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices.”

Needless to say, the variety of choices in Barbie dolls make very valuable collectibles. With such a rich history and unparalleled legacy in girls’ toys, the Barbie line is filled with exclusive, expensive dolls.

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Here are the most valuable Barbie dolls.

Updated by Madison Lennon on February 26, 2020: Most people have a hobby and for many, that hobby involves collecting something. Lots of people like to collect dolls, Funko Pops, and even Barbies. While Barbie dolls aren't quite the rage they were in the past, they still remain a vital presence in the realm of toys and pop culture.

The following list details the most valuable Barbie dolls in the world, but we've updated it with a few more dolls. Who knows? You could potentially have a small fortune lying around in your attic.

15 Pink Splendor Barbie - $385+

Pink Splendor Barbie is a limited edition doll. Released in 1996, there’s only 10,000 dolls in circulation worldwide. Everything about her screams “Princess Dream Wedding,” with a gorgeous flowing ball gown and extravagance out the wazoo.

The dress is made from silk satin, lace, pink taffeta, rhinestones, and crystal jewelry. Her up-do completes the look, making women everywhere envious of how on point it is. Seriously, how does she keep that one curl perfect?

Unfortunately, the resale value of this elegant doll has fallen. At release, she was sold for $900. But hey, $385 isn’t anything to sneeze at and that’s on the lower end of possible vendors.

14 Carol Spencer Holiday Barbie - $999

The Carol Spencer Holiday Barbie makes this list because Carol Spencer was a notable designer for Mattel. She began working for the company in the 1960s, and several versions of this doll were made, but this particular one was featured in Barbie Bazaar Magazine’s 1994 issue, which is part of the reason it was so high in demand.

It was originally estimated to cost approximately $999, but it is currently being sold on eBay for $5,000, although it doesn't appear anyone has purchased it for that amount.

13 Barbie by Devi Kroell - $1,075

Mattel has a knack for recruiting top talent for charity purposes. In 2010, Devi Kroell - among other fashion designers - was invited to accessorize a Barbie for a charity auction hosted by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). Kroell is best known for her handbags. Her business later expanded to incorporate footwear as well.

Her Barbie was auctioned on eBay for $1,075. The proceeds were donated to the CFDA’s educational initiatives, which include scholarships for those pursuing an education in the fashion industry.

12 Marie Antoinette Barbie - $1,250

Love French history? This is the Barbie for you!

As the last Queen of France, Marie Antoinette ascended to the throne at a pretty unfortunate time. She met her untimely end at the hands of the French Revolution, ultimately executed via guillotine in 1793. That might sounds familiar if you’re a fan of Hamilton. “Should we honor our treaty, King Louis’s head?”

Released in 2003, the doll is a very accurate recreation of Marie Antoinette’s style. Rightfully so, the Marie Antoinette Barbie can go for upwards of $1,250.

11 La Belle Epoque Barbie Doll - $1,395

The La Belle Epoque Barbie was first released back in 2012 and designed by Robert Best. One of the main reasons it is so expensive now is because it was made specifically for those in attendance at the Paris Fashion Doll Festival.

Her style is reminiscent of that distinctive era thanks to the splendor of her gown and gloves. She even has a pearl necklace adorning her neck and quite an elegant hairdo. Everything about this Barbie screams expensive.

10 Aqua Queen of the Prom Barbie - $5,000

The reason for the outrageous price tag on this particular Barbie doll is because there are only 30 of this specific doll. If it remains untouched and in pristine condition in its box, then it has extremely high value with collectors.

The Aqua Queen doll was created for the National Barbie Doll Convention in 2001. It's fitting that she's so expensive, she is a prom queen after all and looks gorgeous in her aquamarine dress and crown.

9 Karl Lagerfeld Barbie - $6,000

First released in 2014, the Karl Lagerfield Barbie doll, based on the chic fashion designer, became an instant best-seller. It has soared in value since the unfortunate passing of the fashion icon. The doll is, of course, dressed in a similar style to Lagerfeld. It wears a tailored black jacket with a high-collars white shirt that includes French cuffs.

The doll also comes with several accessories, including black ankle boots, a leather purse with metallic accents, and fingerless gloves. The Barbie also mimics his signature ponytail hairstyle.

8 Barbie by Lorraine Schwartz - $7,500

Remember that charity auction mentioned before? Barbie by Lorraine Schwartz was donated to the same one.

Schwartz is most known for creating jewelry for celebrities. She was commissioned by Mattel to design a Barbie for the same charity auction as Devi Kroell (the eBay auction for the CFDA). A running theme with Barbie, this doll is decked out in diamond jewelry, most notably the diamond-studded “B” belt decoration. She’s valued at around $25,000, but only sold for $7,500 at the auction.

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Only. You know. Like we all have $7,500 lying around.

7 Barbie In 'Midnight Pink' - $8,557

Not to be confused with the Barbie in 'Midnight Red,' the 'Midnight Pink' Barbie doll is substantially cheaper (although still ludicrously expensive). This particular Barbie is dressed like a princess, complete with a long, flowing pink gown and a fur-trimmed collar.

She also wears long-sleeve white gloves and her hair is tied into a long ponytail with several pink ribbons tying it up. Her head is in the "Talking Barbie" style and she has lashed eyes in addition to straight arms and legs. She was part of a collection auctioned off by two Dutch women in 2006.

6 Pink Diamond Barbie - $15,000

Perhaps the “loudest” of the Barbies on this list, Pink Diamond Barbie is nothing but stunning and 100% fabulous.

She was designed by The Blonds for yet another charity auction. Phillipe and David Blond are best known for their over-the-top designs, specifically for those in the entertainment industry. Some celebrities rocking their gear include Iggy Azalea, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, Madonna, and Beyoncé. Just to name a few. There’s more.

Pink Diamond Barbie was auctioned off at the tune of $15,000. All proceeds were donated to the MAC AIDS Fund.

5 Barbie in “Midnight Red” - $17,091

In 2006, there was a Christie’s auction being held in London containing a collection of 4,000 dolls. Barbie in “Midnight Red” was just one in this collection. Collectors came from around the world, as Christie’s auctions are wont to draw in, and she was sold to a woman on behalf of an anonymous collector.

The doll wasn’t expected to be a high seller. Dating back to 1965, her bid wound up setting the record for the most expensive modern plastic doll sold at an auction. She sold for 9,000 (pounds) which, adjusting for inflation and conversion rates, is around $17,091.

4 Original Barbie - $27,450

All heroes have an origin story. Obviously, the original Barbie doll takes her place in the top 3. Taking the world by storm in 1959, Barbie sports a white and black bathing suit looking rather sassy and on top of her game. For the 50s, it’s rather brave as most women’s bathing suits of the time still had a bit of a skirt or cut slightly lower.

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As the premier girls’ toy, Barbie ushered in a new era of play for girls. The doll that started it all.

3 40th Anniversary Barbie by De Beers - $85,000

Did you know people put very real, very expensive jewelry on Barbie?

Barbie turned 40 in 1999 and in true Barbie fashion, Mattel had to celebrate in a big way. The company commissioned De Beers Jewellers, a worldwide corporation specializing in all things diamonds. Based out of London and established in 1888, De Beers mines and trades diamonds primarily from Botswana, South Africa, and Namibia. More recently, they’ve expanded their operations to Canada.

Barbie by De Beers does not disappoint. She doesn’t look like the more traditional iterations of Barbie, mostly in that she has black hair and not blonde. Her outfit can be described as a play on the evening gown, given a contemporary update with a bikini top. Her belt contains 160 diamonds.

In 1999, she was sold for $85,000. Adjusted for inflation, that would be about $130,773 today.

2 Barbie and the Diamond Castle - $94,800

Though Mattel’s never really gone full throttle into entertainment like Hasbro has, Barbie has a long history with direct-to-video animated movies. In 2008, Barbie & the Diamond Castle was released as the 13th film in the Barbie film series.

To promote the movie, Mattel created a doll to serve as a flagship for the toy line. She was never meant for retail, but she’s valued at just shy of $95k. Why?

Her dress contains 318 real diamonds, weighing 20.66 carats in all.

1 Barbie by Stefano Centuri - $302,500

In 2007, Mattel invited jewelry designer Stefano Centuri to design a Barbie doll for the launch of the Barbie Basics Collection in Australia. Centuri was in charge of every design aspect on this doll, from the dress to the gorgeous necklace she wears.

She was auctioned in 2010 and valued at around $302,500. Her jewelry contains rare Australian pink diamonds and 3 carats of white diamonds. The proceeds from her auction were donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

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