Do they really hold their worth? How "old" are YOUR dolls?

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?
For me to consider a doll to be "old", it would probably need to be at least 7yrs old in my possession. If I ever got a doll from the MP, I'd have to factor in how long that doll was in the other owner(s) possession, but I'd still consider a doll to be "old" once they've been owned for 7 years or more.

Do you think the dolls hold their value?
It depends on if that's what you pay attention to. Some people don't care about the doll holding a value, and just want to enjoy the doll without worrying about that too much.

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?
I sort of do. My BBB Apollo got a small chip of resin taken off of his ankle in transit. I don't notice it, and it doesn't bother his posing, so I haven't even made an attempt to attach the resin back to his leg. It also helps me remember which calf goes on what leg.

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?
My oldest doll is about 1.5yrs old. My Apollo isn't even a year old yet. I plan to keep them for as long as I can.

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?

It's hard to pick a number, but I'd say around 2-5 years, since that's about when the yellowing starts.

Do you think the dolls hold their value?
Generally, no. For the most part, buying BJDs as an investment is a terrible idea, unless you're a fan of Soom or Volks. If you go look at the MP now, you'll see that most people are losing money, even for dolls that are under a year old. Sometimes you can't even sell them at all - it took me 7 months to sell one of mine. Plus, you have to factor in how much the original shipping cost, and prices for custom face-ups. Sometimes you get lucky and don't lose much or even make money for limiteds, but I think losing money is far more likely.

I'll admit that the resale value is better than for some hobbies, though. Take video games, for instance. A new game can cost $60 and then drops to $20 within a year. Of course, cheap people like me wait for video games to go down in value. With dolls, you can't just wait and hope the exact doll you want will be available second-hand in perfect condition for a good price.

Traveling is another example. Right now, I'm planning a trip that will cost around $3000. There's no way I'll ever get any of that money back. It's typically harder for me to justify travel expenses than doll purchases. The only way I can justify it is that the event I'm going to see won't be there forever, but there will always be dolls/video games/etc.

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?

One of my favorites is yellowing now. I'll probably try to sell him sometime, but I love the sculpt so much that I may eventually buy the same sculpt with the same face-up again later. I have some other older dolls that still look great even with yellowing, so I'll keep those.

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?
It ranges from a few days to nearly four years. I don't think I'd ever keep one for longer than 5 years, unless the aging wasn't apparent.

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?

6-7+ years...or more really ._. I just got into the collecting part of the hobby not long ago, so my dollies are fresh and new still, so six years from now I might still consider them fresh and new x'D

Do you think the dolls hold their value?

Uh, money-wise no, except if limited Volks (or Soom or Switch or Distant Memory etc etc) like people have said before me. But for some of us, they hold emotional value (that's how it's called no?) and I think...that for some of us, they do. I get emotionally attached to things I keep for long after all UvU Some others fall out of love with their current dolls and want other ones...

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?

No, I don't. But if my dolls ever get damaged, I'd either try to fix (or find someone who can), ask replacement from company, buy new body or...in the case it's something on the head beyong fixing, I'd probably buy the same sculpt again, though I'll know it won't be the same /:

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?

My Eulia (Yuli) is a few months old and Patrick a month or two old. I have a head from 2009 (bought from MP recently) in mint condition.
I plan on keeping them forever ._. For as long as I can, even if I come to a point where I'll need to sell them, bodies go off first, then clothes, wigs, eyes, whatever else. I'd prefer to starve on the street with my dollies' heads though *shot*

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?

I've never given it though but i guess 10 years would be old to me.

Do you think the dolls hold their value?

It depends on the doll and how popular it is. Some dolls are just honestly not that popular, and could sit on the marketplace for weeks.

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?

I do have dolls i've had for a VERY long time, i plan to keep them a lot longer. Just because a doll is older, or maybe a little yellowed doesn't means it's all of the sudden a hunk of junk.

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?

My oldest doll i've had since i was a young teen (i'm almost 24 now), and i bought my MSD around mid 2010. I have no plans to sell my dolls at any point in time. Even if i was hard up for cash i have other things to sell that would be easier and faster to sell.

Honestly i think how much work these dolls need is a bit exaggerated sometimes. I haven't needed to restring my doll (she still poses pretty much the same as when i got her) or put excessive amounts of work into keeping her appearance up. I keep her wig nice and if she gets dirty i clean her and i keep her out of sunlight. She looks beautiful, her face-up isn't chipping or fading and i can't see any signs of yellowing either :P

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?
Eh, perhaps the dolls produced in 1990S

Do you think the dolls hold their value?
the limiteds can, but it depends on the popularity and numbers

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?
about 4 years. restore it and keep them in the best condition if possible

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?
some are 4 years some are only about one year
as lone as possible

 

I don't know how long BJDs have been around for, so I have no idea what an 'old' one is. My personal oldest doll is almost three and a half years old, and he's in as fine a shape as he was when I bought him. I would venture to say better, even, because my wife restrung and wired him once we gained some know-how, and now I can pose him better. He's not yellow and he hasn't been broken or damaged in any way.

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?
Well, three of my boys I've had for five years so far, I dont consider them old, but more so stoked on the fact that I've had them that long, and it also seems like it hasn't been that long. I think I'd consider one of these dolls old in the 7-10 years of owneage.

Do you think the dolls hold their value?
Like anything, if you take good care of it, or try to keep it 'safe' it will remain in good condition, I think my dolls have certainly held their value, they've brought alot of happiness too me, and I'm really glad I own all of them. I regret nothing!

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?
None of my dolls are damaged, though one of the bodies I bought second hand has a small chip on his shoulder [lol go figure, my grumpy boy] I don't pay attention to it though since he's usually in clothes. I dont have any plans to fix it, the only one concerning me is Reznor at the moment. He's my first BW doll and I think I'm seeing some yellowing [it's not dramatic looking] but If he turns sickeningly yellow or anything I might try restoring him.

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?

I've had two boys for over 5 years, one is approaching 5 years, and then I'm not sure what year my second hand body is from, but I don't consider him old, and then I have another doll that was casted four years ago. I plan on keeping all of them, though I've considered selling my first two, mainly due to them being spontaneous purchases and I didnt have much with them too do, but I've now decided I'm going to put more work into them instead of selling them, who knows. I might end up loving them more than the dolls I've put lots of time into creating.

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?

I don't think you can call any ABJD "old" except by comparison with brand-new ones. ABJDs as we know them have only been around for, what? Thirteen years? That may seem a long time if you're a teenager, but for a creaky old bat like me it's almost no time at all. When the oldest Super Dollfies have been around for twenty years or so (in 2019), then come talk to me about "old" dolls. My oldest BJD is only seven years old, which might be ancient by many standards, but she's still in pretty pristine condition (barring her slightly floppy waist joint).

Do you think the dolls hold their value?

Define "value". If you mean monetary worth, then it's doubtful. These dolls are not collector's items by definition. They are, for the most part, blank canvases on which to practice the owner/customizer's creativity. Unless you're purchasing a fullset and never change a single solitary thing about the doll, and even then the question of monetary worth is chancy. The secondary market for BJDs is a very wild and thorny jungle and difficult to navigate even for experienced doll owners.

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?

Like I said, Megumi is 7 years old, kind of long in the tooth by current BJD standards, and her waist joint is notoriously loose, but I wouldn't even think of disposing of her. I might replace her body some day, but if I don't get the chance, I'll keep enjoying her.

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?

Megumi is 7. Belle Fontaine is 5. Ashe is also 5. Miyae's current incarnation is only 2. Chaeri will be 3 this month. I plan to be buried with them.

 

Emby Quinn Love your post. I'm also an oldie

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?
No, resin BJDs are not old. The oldest BJD is hardly 14 years old. In my collection, the doll needs to be at least 25 years old to be considered vintage (old). My oldest BJD is 7 years, he is SD13 Isao Nanjou in original factory sealed makeup, hair and clothes by Volks 2004. The oldest doll in my collection (non BJD) is 53 years old in original factory sealed makeup, hair and clothes by Ideal USA 1959. I cannot see how BJDs can be considered old unless we are referring to a German or French antique BJD.

Can't agree with you more here. The splitting of a full doll and widespread owner modifications make it hard to ensure that a "doll's" value is maintained. This also makes it easy for blank heads to be copied illegally. The secondary market is very difficult to navigate, even a doll that has never been modified cannot be assured to hold its value. Companies that continue to re-release popular "limited edition" dolls also affect a doll's secondary market value. I am a collector, and i require dolls to come in original full set (cothes, eyes, hair) with factory sealed all original makeup. BJDs often don't meet this requirement. Since these dolls are expensive, I have scaled back on collecting resin BJDs. I am very cautious not to spend too much money on this.

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?

I keep most of my dolls for life. However, they must be full set dolls with original company faceup, clothes, eyes and hair.

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?
Probably one that's 10+ years old.

Do you think the dolls hold their value?
Money-wise - depends. If the doll is limited, very in-demand and in good condition, you might be able to sell it for more than you spent on it. If it's no longer produced, you might be able to sell it for the same money that you got it for (e.g. I got a spare Unidoll Ark head sitting in a box at home, only taken out for inspection and to test some eye-colours in it - I guess if I wanted to sell it I could get as much money out of it as I spent on it).

Value-wise - meaning the personal value you give them - I think their value holds or even increases over time. Cos they're your dolls, you play with them, you put time and money and effort into getting them right. You grow fond of them. Sometimes so much that, no matter how much money was offered to you, you simply would refuse to sell them.

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?
My first doll's from 2008 - I guess that does count as aged here. My third's from 2009. He's "damaged" insofar that he's very unevenly yellowed. I keep all my dolls out of their boxes (I didn't spend so much money on a doll to lock it up in a box and never take it out) so they catch quite a lot of sunlight. I don't mind the yellowing, really.

As for my first doll, he's got a scratch across his right eyebrow (had it for years, got it when I first took him outside to take pics) and also, that eyebrow's starting to fade a little.

What do I plan to do with them? Nothing. Keep them. Maybe try to "repair" the fading eyebrow. I don't want another face-up on my guy. It's his default company face-up and it's so perfect I simply don't want a different one.

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?
The oldest is from 2008, the newest from 2012.
How long do I plan to keep them? Well - forever. They're mine and I'm not gonna part with them.

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?
I dunno i think after just 1 year a doll is old to me.
Than it escalates..
"not really that old", "kinda old", "sorda old", "old", "really old", "Extremely old", "ancient"
xD thats just how i see em.

Do you think the dolls hold their value?
I believe Limiteds and Rares do.
For the most part i was always able to sell my dolls for at least what i paid.
Ive only had 1 limited doll, but i only asked what i paid for him.

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?
Nope. If i had a damaged doll i would probably sell it, if it was significantly damaged.

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?
My dolls are just from this year, so not old at all. I plan to keep these two forever :3

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?
I don't know, I don't really think in those terms. I guess if a doll is super yellowed or worn down I think of it as old. Maybe the very first volks dolls as well, I don't know. They still produce SD10 4 sisters to this day so...

Do you think the dolls hold their value?
They don't hold all their value, but compared to other things they hold a lot. 5 years from now you might have to knock a few hundred dollars off that expensive doll to resell it, but in those same 5 years all your electronics lose 99.999% of their value, your clothes lose all value, your car loses a lot of value just driving it off the lot, etc...I'm satisfied with the value of my dolls. Plus I like a lot of older dolls that aren't produced anymore so if I can get them at a discount on the MP then yay for me

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?
I own 3 dolls that most people would consider old. One is a bit yellowed (though through anti-yellowing treatments he's way less yellow than when I got him), one has had her face modded by a previous owner, and one is in pristine condition besides the scars I carved into his face. As for what I plan to do with them, the yellowed one will get more anti-yellowing treatments when I decide not to be lazy, him and the one with scars I plan to keep forever. The one who's face is modded will get cleaned up, re-faceuped, and her head sold to get an unmodded one of the same sculpt.

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?
My oldest dolls are 7 and 8 years old. They are my favs and I will keep them.

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?

A doll made pre-2003, but I think 'venerable' would be a better word for it.

Do you think the dolls hold their value?

A lot of them, yeah. My oldest doll just turned one, so I can only judge based on what I've seen with other peoples' dolls, but a lot of the older BJDs still look great. I would think that the value depends considerably on the sculpt, however. I'm sure my Soom limiteds would sell for close to or more than their original price, whereas my Resinsoul and Angel of Dream dolls might be less in value than when I bought them.

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?
My first doll, a Resinsoul Mu, has had part of his eyebrow rubbed off. I will eventually get him a new face-up.

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?
The oldest is one year, two months, the second oldest is nine months, the third oldest is seven months, and the newest is just turning five months. Since all of them but the third were bought to add to a collection, it's very unlikely that I'll sell them. The third one has a lot of sentimental value, so he's not going anywhere either. :3

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?
Well, I guess you could say the doll's age makes them old, lol.
My oldest doll is a Volks head from 2001. So she's from around the time when they started making them.
So she's old by Super Dollfie standards.

Do you think the dolls hold their value?
I think they do. Sometimes they are worth more if the doll was sought after. I think every year there is a limited that everyone suddenly wants to have. As long as the community stays active and people keep wanting dolls they will be worth something. Only time will tell, when they are antiques how valuable they become.

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?
My first 2 dolls have started to yellow with time, (BBB Sprite and DZ HID) but I love them as they are. They are part of my collection and I will never sell them. They've been with me for too long to let go of.
I own a really old Volks head. It needs restored. I plan to keep it in my doll box until I can afford to have it restored. Then I'll either keep it and get a body for her or sell it at a reasonable price to someone who can enjoy her.

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?
My oldest doll, my EL is from 2006. He's a work in progress but I hope to have him together by the end of the summer. Then of course my floating head from 2001- Im not sure what I'll do with her yet. And first 2 dolls, they are staying - unless I find a nice home for them. I just sold my Soom Glot to a very nice lady. So yea I'm going to hopefully keep the crew I have. Work on them and over time add a few new additions.

 

Just because it's difficult & chancy doesn't make these dolls not-collectibles. These dolls ARE definitely collector's items! There is no requirement to break up a fullset and trash a doll to make it yours, and an awful lot of collectors do not do the blank-canvas thing.

A doll that's rare/disconintued/LE/HTF may still command an OK resale price, even after its fullset has been broken up, or if the doll has been modified/hybridized/repainted.... But that same doll would command the best price when it IS in its unmodified fullset. Ever seen Antiques Roadshow? Those Jumeau dolls fetch thousands of dollars, even in trashed-up condition-- but the Jumeau dolls with their facepaint, clothes & shoes intact fetch tens of thousands. (For stuff like Star Wars toys, it's a couple hundred for the toy, a couple thousand if you have the box!) If you keep your fullset intact, or even mostly-intact, its chances of retaining a good resale value are pretty solid.

We may have to wait another 20 years to see those truly crazy Roadshow prices for BJDs, of course. ^^

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?

I think my SD13 Shiro Tachibana v.1 is the oldest at 9 years old (I've had him for 7). He's a secondhand repaint & is missing one little fullset item, so he will not fetch his full resale price if I ever sell him; but I don't intend to sell him, because I'm still crazy about him. And I've got a few yellowed white-resin Soom & Dollmore LEs, who still have their fullset gear and would probably fetch some decent prices despite the yellowing.

But again, I'm not selling anyone yet. I intend to keep them until I don't want to keep them anymore. My crystal ball is in the shop, so I can't predict how I'll feel about it 15 years from now.... but for now, nobody gets sold. So if these guys're going to be with me for awhile, I have to make my purchases for True Love only, so they're worth the space!

 

Please permit me to respectfully disagree. Antique porcelains such as Bru and Jumeau were never originally intended for resale--they were children's playthings, so very few survived. Same with the original Barbie doll, which today commands prices in the thousands for a reasonably intact specimen.

I'm not saying that BJDs will never attain a similar status; I'm saying you can't depend on it. Two words: Beanie Babies. Three words: Cabbage Patch Kids. I could give you a dozen more examples, but the point I'm trying to make is that you can't be certain that a doll for which you spent $2000 is going to increase in value. The odds are, sadly, against it. For the most part.

 

Well, generally when I buy a doll I plan to keep it forever... not that it always works out that way...

That said, my oldest is only a little over a year old, because that's how long ago I got into the hobby.

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?
For me, how old the doll is depend on it's chronic age and physical age. Chronic age is basically when/how long ago the doll was made. Physical age is the doll condition.

Did the previous owner have them sitting out in the sun?
Is there scratches on the doll?
Does the doll resin match a banana?​

Do you think the dolls hold their value?
I guess it may varies from person to person. I don't really care about chronic age but I personally don't like yellow dolls too much, so if the doll is yellow, I tend to stray away.

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?
I do own a doll that had a little damaged on one of her wrist by the previous owner and I plan to keep her. Personally, I love the fact that her wrist is a little damaged because I find the process of taking off her hand much easier on the damaged wrist. If I ever do decide to sell her, it will not be because she is damaged.

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?
My second hand doll is my most recent doll, however, she was made before I know about bjd. For now, I plan to keep all my dolls. I don't have any plan on selling them unless I fail out of love with them.

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?

Hmmm. Just like beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, the age of a doll in such a young hobby is still a highly subjective value. Maybe in two or three decades there will be a more objective way to judge the age of a doll, but for now, it is a matter of opinion. In my personal opinion, a doll that is over 10 years old is old. That makes most dolls in our hobby NOT old.

Do you think the dolls hold their value?

It depends on the doll, and on the way it has been treated. If it is a mold that is either very popular or very rare, then it will hold the value well. If it is a rare AND popular mold, then the value might increase. There are certain trends and new styles of dolls too, so an older version that has been replaced with a more "in" one might decrease in value; on the other hand, if the replacement is considered less interesting by the community, then the older version might suddenly become more worth... Like with all collectibles, it is not completely predictable.

There is of course, the condition in which the doll is. If it is damaged, it will probably decrease in value no matter how rare or popular.

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?

I own a couple of secondhand dolls and doll heads. One of which is the oldest (not old though, since not over 10 years) doll in my collection and has a fair amount of even - and in my opinion rather pretty, creamy and lifelike - yellowing all around. So yes, I would consider her "aged". But I just treat her the way I treat my other dolls.

I also own a doll that has a couple of small dents in her resin, they are small and unnoticeable, but I would call them damage if I was to put up a sales thread for her... And one with minor chipping in a joint. Still, I don't treat them in any way different.

So there is nothing special that I plan to do with them, except playing with, dressing, making them clothing, changing wigs and eyes, making up stories about and taking pictures of them... ^^

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?

Most of my dolls are between 0 and 3 years old, the oldest one is a bit older (though I don't know her exact age). I hope to keep them for as long as possible, meaning I am not actually planning to ever sell them. I have rehomed dolls in the past, yes - but never because of age or damage.