Can you give more information on the neck marks? Mostly I want to know why this would determine age - I've heard many times that it does, but a look at our doll family leaves me in doubt:

We have 12 dolls, six of which I know are Mattel, and six I know are PM. I know this because of when I purchased them, as well as things like eye lashes. The neck marks vary on all of them. - here is the breakdown:

Felicity - last batch of PM fall 2002 - mark behind ear, medium company name preceded by copywrite. no numbers.

Felicity - 1st batch of M shipped 12/31/02 medium company name, preceded by copywrite , '10H9' below.

Josefina - M December 2003 - no ear mark, tiny company name preceded by copywrite no numbers

Kirsten - PM unknown date ear mark, small company name, copywrie above. no numbers.

Addy - PM unknown date. earmark. Large name with copywrite above and in front , and '17H9' below

Addy - M fall of 2003 earmark, Large name with Copywrite above and in front and 8H9 below

Samantha - PM -unknown date, earmark, small company name with copywrite above. no number.

Samantha - PM unknown date earmark, small company name, copywrite above, and no number.

Kit, - M, fall of 2002, no earmark, medium name with copywritein front. '55H9' below.

Molly, - M, december 2004, earmark, medium company name with copywrite in front, no number.

Kailey, - M Spring 2004, no earmark, medium company name preceded by copywrite, no number.

Some of the name marks are regular and even and some have letters that are wonky. Some are printed deeply and others only lightly.

From what I know about molds, the randomness of the above is par for the course. Molds are replaced as they wear out, and when a company is sold molds go with the move. Some companies use consistant marks to help guard against counterfieting, but either PC didn't do this or they have a more complicated system of recognizing counterfeits. I can't imagine how, because neither even nor jiggly letters indicates squat , some have ear marks and othes none, and the copywrite floats around anywhere near the company name. There is no consistancy within one type of doll, or one company or even within a single year.

For the record, all my dolls came directly from AG, or else from antique dealers who had AG furnishings that went with the doll. The one exception came from Maria of Just Magic, and obviously she's a trustworthy source.

The numbers probably indicate the mold number. Since head molds often are on a branch, there might have been 2, 3, 4, 6 or 8 heads on a branch, and maybe only the first head is stamped, for quality control. Since half or mine are stamped, I am guessing these would be a branch of two. Anyone else care to post their numbers and we can see if this is likely? Maybe we'll find some twins [img]smile.gif[/img]

Anyone have a better guess as to what the numbers mean? Okay, how about that ear mark? Is it the artist's signature? It's light enough it might not show up on all dolls but I have no half marks - they either have it or not. Perhaps it is a way of checking how well the details came out?