I am just wondering what you all think. Will the retired items that go for sooo much money continue to sell for a lot of money for years to come...and will they just keep increasing in value? Or will it be like the Beanie Babies where they sold for so much money on ebay for a short time and now they don't sell for much at all.
Someone who was talking to me about American Girl (who does not collect ag) told me this when I told her that I had a lot of retired things and she told me to sell them now because it will probably only be a fase.
Personally I don't think it is a fase because AG holds significance such as the history and reading aspect. Where as Beanie Babies did not. I think AG items will only increase. The only thing I see happening is that one day you will see an isle of Maroon at Toy's R' Us and everything will be plastic and they will have a museum showing the old collection made from real wood, metal, and glass. My aunt has showed me her barbie collection from when she was little and everything is such high quality NO plastic. And all the original pieces (pre-mattel) will sell for a lot.
If something is of high quality to begin with, is rare and is kept in pristine condition, it will hold its value. As AG become more mass marketed and more "plasticy" its items will tend to go down in value. The original Barbies are very valuable today.
I consider AG a toy first to be enjoyed now with my DD. I wouldn't collect it only to hold its value. We have seen how the retired Felicity items have not retained their value now that AG has reissued some of them.
That is interesting. I guess to me, the value of stuff is to be treasured. So what if it loses its value in the future. I am having fun with it NOW. And to me that is the most important thimg!
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So far, AG has done pretty well in holding its value. But in the future? Who knows... We have to remember that AG is still in production and going strong, so what the company does can significatly influence AG's values in the secondary market.
Get the items that you love and will enjoy for a long time, that's the best value an AG item can have.
Katherine
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I sooooooo agree. They are not called "playdolls" without reason, as they are meant to be played with. AG dolls are not made of porcelain and not intended to be placed in glass cases to protect them from being touched.Originally posted by judiaci:
I consider AG a toy first to be enjoyed now with my DD. I wouldn't collect it only to hold its value.
Sheesh, in her interviews, Rowland makes it clear that in her vision the doll was just a placeholder for the AG experience, a mannequin onto which all of the facets of the experience could be focused, driven by the stories in the books. For a long time there were no "limited edition" dolls and it was next to impossible to tell when a particular doll was made.
Mattel, OTOH, has a lot of experience creating "collectable" dolls, e.g., the limited edition Barbies, and fully expects some of these limited edition dolls to be stashed away as investments. I would hate to think of AGs this way. Nothing so frosts me as seeing a "playdoll" propped up by a doll stand and frozen in a glass display case.
Sorry for being so testy on this issue...
Taffy
I am not collecting American girl for the cash value at all. I am just saying that if I am in dier straights and need money someday I have put A LOT!!! of money into collecting the dolls and their accessories and I would kick myself if they were worth nothing even close to their original value. I do display my dolls because I love history and their little accessories set up as a scene I think they are gourgous as a display. I don't think its wrong to display your American Girls that way, it's personal preference.
I agree with you, Taffy, except--being looked at and enjoyed on a daily basis, even if it is in a glass case, is MUCH better than being in a box, closet, or any other place where no one can see them. For me, being able to see my dolls in my glass bookcases makes me so happy. I'm glad they are very protected and very beautiful standing there. They make everyone smile. So, that is their value to me--their beauty and their history. I didn't buy them to resell--in fact, I bought them to have something that lasts forever to share with my children, grandchildren, etc. The fact that they will actually hold their monetary value is a great fringe benefit.
We have two sets of dolls in our house--the old Pleasant Company ones from 1986-1991 in our bookcases, and the American Girl ones everyone plays with when they come over. I know that both sets will hold their value quite well. [img]graemlins/heart.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/heart.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That's a scary thought right there! Makes me happy that I let Lissie hang out on my bed and play with her (even if its just moving her around or holding her while Im online) a little every day.Originally posted by Kit 1934:
It might even be the source of silver eye as well.
I think the value of AG products is directly related to their uniqueness. For instance, if you want a working doll-size (not dollhouse-size) typewriter, the only one so far as I know that exists is Kit's. Same for an authentically designed doll-size desk in the style of the American southwest in 1824. Where else are you going to find that except in Josefina's collection?
If other doll companies were making items anything like these, there would be more competition for buyers' dollars and prices would reflect that. But AG has a lock on this market.
So I think retired PC items will retain their value way beyond what they originally sold for and PC products kept on by Mattel in their original form will also do well. Some strictly Mattel items just don't have that feel of uniqueness, for instance the plastic wedding cake in Sam's collection. OTOH, Kit's new (plastic) scooter probably is unique and will stay that way.
Because of the uniqueness factor, I think most AG products will hold or increase their value. But, of course, no one should ever count on that. Somewhere there might be a new Pleasant Rowland about to wow us. [img]smile.gif[/img]
I honestly think it is a combination of both a phase and holding values. Things go in waves right now anyway. Three years ago, AG was not selling for the prices it is now. And even now, some weeks Addy and her things are hopelessly high, and some weeks, no one buys anything Addy. But it is like that with My Little Pony as well. Some weeks ponies are bouncing off the ceiling of highness, and then some weeks, no one buys anything. And everything has its phases there too, with which ponies are so high. It used to be the UK ponies were unbelievable, but now I've seen reasonable and flat out cheap BINs go unbought. But, I think there will be things that will probably continue to escalade in value, esp. the PM nicer quality things. Like MLP Mimic will always be that unacheivable, unobtainable, unavailable dream of mine...
That's my opnion on the matter. [img]smile.gif[/img]
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