'Pawn Stars' boss Rick Harrison ends up paying a fortune for a vintage 1959 Barbie doll
"Pawn Stars" boss Rick Harrison tends to get quickly enamored by some items, but that doesn't mean he won't prioritize his profit. It happened when he came across a 1959 'ponytail' Barbie on the show, and exclaimed, "I have never had a number one Barbie," when its owner, Kim, removed the iconic Mattel Inc. doll from its original case. It is a known fact that the first Barbie debuted in March 1959 during an annual toy fair in New York City. Additionally, the most intriguing aspect of this specific piece was that it featured the signature of Ruth Handler, the creator.
Harrison was impressed by its perfect condition and the original accessories that Kim displayed. The owner went on to reveal that he had discovered it at an antique store during one of his thrifting hauls. "I've had some early Barbies, but I've never had this one," Harrison quipped as Kim continued to discuss the rare first edition doll. The case contained Barbie's sunglasses, a booklet, and a reproduction stand. Harrison stared in awe, labeling it the 'Holy Grail' for collectors. He then went back into history and disclosed that Handler's daughter Barbara inspired the doll's name, while her son Kenneth inspired the Ken doll trend. Ken was launched as Barbie's boyfriend in 1961, two years after Barbie's debut.
Kim made an offer price of $10,000, hoping to cash in on the Barbie mania. "There's a hundred fakes for every real one. The show doesn't start for a while. Do you mind if I call my toy guy?" Harrison asked. Expert Steve from Rogue Toys walks in to examine and determine the real value of the 'number one' Barbie doll. "Barbie was a fashion doll; she was made for kids, but in reality, she was made to kind of indicate to a young girl that there was style and fashion out there. It really came out of nowhere," Steve said.
Assuring that the doll was original, Steve pointed out that it had a hard, solid core, smelled like crayons, featured typical white irises, and a ponytail, which were the telltale signs of being 'number one.' "I've seen Ruth Handler's autograph. I can't authenticate the autograph for you, but I can tell you it looks very consistent," he added. Steve appraised it between $7,500 - $8,000. Kim pitched $8,000, but Harrison revealed that he would definitely resell the antique doll and countered with $4,500. Kim went down a bit to $6,000, and again Harrison drove the bid lower to $5,500. Kim then settled with the new price tag, and the deal was made.
However, fans reacted that the 'number one' piece belonged to a museum. "Something like this should be in a museum, and it's signed by the creator," @gregory7320 commented on the YouTube video. "3 mature guys talking about Barbie and obviously know a lot about her is something you don't see every day," @junyboypogi8328 chimned in. "Guess what guys, I googled the top 50 Barbie dolls of all time, and the original 1959 Barbie estimated value was $24,000," @j3llifhish claimed.
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