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Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Collector? Not me!

Despite the combative sound of that title, it's just a comparison.

I'm a player, myself, but I've seen many of my dolls for sale at prices that blow my mind.  My Kyra is "Secret Spells Kayla" and apparently she's pretty rare.  Of course, mine had been removed from the box and even rebodied, so her resale value is - well, not good.

Kyra and her second body donor
(Bye, click knees)

A while back, my world collapsed and among other things, finances were tight.  My sister was a seller on EBay and she sold a lot of things for me.  I knew I wouldn't make much from the ones my minions played with, but did have some still-in-box Collector Dolls.  What I discovered about my "investment" was disheartening.  Pretty much anything with "Collector" on the box sold for less than I'd originally paid!  (Granted, these were fairly recent productions and they weren't coming from a pet-free home.)  That was pretty much the end of my career as anything resembling a serious collector.

After I got through, I was given three dolls still in box. One was a knock-off collector edition.  The other two were Kelly and Tommy as The Flintstones.  The giver intended them to be investments, like the ones I'd had to sell.  I managed to keep them in box for a good while, watching the value guides I had access to.  The knock-off wasn't even listed in most of them, and when she was - I could have had a fast food lunch.  The Flintstones' value was better, and they took up a lot less shelf space.  I decided to keep them in the box (despite their pleas for freedom) and free the knock-off.  She wasn't a keeper but I'm pretty sure I still have her dress and shoes!

Fred and Wilma continued to plea for freedom.  And they were just so darn cute.  The only ones bringing in any sort of value were the complete set of four - I didn't have the Rubbles - still in intact boxes from smoking- and pet-free homes.  My boxes were pretty beat up and I lived with three cats.

I moved.  Fred and Wilma lived in their boxes, on a corner of my desk.  Every day I debated and finally I gave in.  Wilma's hair was uneven when the updo came down.  After a trim and even a couple boil rinses, she still looks like a wild child!  I guess it's rooted weird.

Fred in the front, green shirt
Wilma in the back, patchwork dress

Of the things I had to sell, the items I miss the most are my VW Minibuses.  I want them back, dang it.  😢  I love me some vintage VWs.  I love me some doll cars that hold more than two. Best of both worlds!  Also, one of them was my favorite color - purple!

Anyway...  I hold no ill will towards the collectors.  I have simply embraced that I ain't one of them.  Unless it's some discontinued (scandalous) play line doll I stumble across, anyone who crosses my threshold will be unboxed so they can play!


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