By Isobel Williams via SWNS
A collection of 100 Barbie dolls including an Elizabeth I and a Ferrari version could sell for $12,445 at auction.
They are part of a rare toys sale at The Canterbury Auction Galleries which also includes rare Pokémon cards and a carry case of Happy Meal toys.
Dave Parker, managing director at The Canterbury Auction Galleries (TCAG), believes that these nostalgic toys are a new trend in the world of auctioneering.
The 70-year-old said: “As an auctioneer you need to learn and follow the trends, and this is the new trend.
“The key to my industry is that you must try and sell people what they want to buy. People like to have what they couldn’t afford to buy when they were younger.
“Selling these types of items is fairly new to us but it is something that we are going to embrace because we must cater for the next generation.”
The collection item from this three day sale predicted to be the most successful, however, comes from a collection of more than 100 rare Barbie dolls.
The Barbies on sale include designs by Dior, Vera Wang, and Bob Mackie, which Mr Parker said makes them popular with fashion fans and drag queens.
He said: “These are incredibly rare because not only do they have the original boxes which they came in, but some of them have the cardboard boxes which they were transported from the warehouse in.
“As I have come to handle it and look at it, I have come to respect it. They are beautiful. These are not dolls that you would play with, these were made to look stunning.
“It goes along with the popularity of shows like Ru Paul’s drag race. They are fabulous.
“I believe the star item is going to be Queen Elizabeth the first, because she is very flamboyant.”
The director also mentioned particular interest in a Ferrari design Barbie doll, which the luxury car brand has reportedly inquired about.
He added: “You may not be interested in Barbie’s but if you collect Ferrari memorabilia then it is something you will want.”
Moving to Pokemon cards, he added: “In my generation people collected stamps. In this generation, Pokémon cards are the new stamps. People love to collect them.”
The rare collection of Pokémon cards on offer holds an estimated value of up to £15,000, and Mr Parker says that they are extremely popular.
He said: “I don’t think Pokémon’s were ever supposed to survive, they were meant to be a fad and all gone in a year, but people in their 20s and 30s still want them.
“The highest price ever paid for one was over three million, and the guy wears it round his neck on a chain in a plastic case.”
He was referring to social media influencer and Prime energy co-founder Logan Paul, who bought a PSA Grade 10 Pikachu Illustrator card in 2021 for £3,862,424.
The sale of the legendary card broke the Guinness World Record for the most expensive Pokémon trading card sold at a private sale.
The estimate for the sale are £300-£500 for the Queen Elizabeth I and Marie Antoinette dolls. The Ferrari dollis listed at between £80 and £120.
