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

how old to be old? 75-100 years? BJDs seem to be different though don't they? I guess, yes 3-4 years. That's when they seem to take on a nice yellow color, stringing needs to be redone, maybe a new faceup, and eyelashes have fallen off and need to be replaced? Do BJDs hold their value? Not really, in my opinion. You have to have just the right doll (whatever is popular at the time), and selling when lots of people are looking. I never have such luck. But hey, my husband buys electronics and compared to him my dolls really retain their value! Do I own a damaged doll? Not currently My oldest BJD is about 3 years and I plan to keep all my favorites until they turn to dust. I will admit to selling some to buy new ones, but I do have some that are never leaving the vault.

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?
I have no idea actually but I guess around 8 years or older I would maybe consider as an old doll n_n

Do you think the dolls hold their value?
Maybe to the owner but I think unless it's some kind of desired doll it's value will probably just go lower and lower as the years pass

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?
Nope, my oldest is my first and she's only just over a year. My third was a doll off the MP but she didnt have any damages or anything, in fact she was made around March this year so she hadnt been around long.

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?
-My oldest is a pukifee ante and as I said above, just over a year old. I plan to keep her until death do us apart xD (mainly becouse she was a long awaited doll and my first)
-My second doll, another pukifee bought just a few months ago, I can actually see selling if I desperately need money, finds another sculpt I like better or grow tired of her. She is just as beautiful as my first doll but she doesnt hold nearly as much sentimental worth as my first doll.
- My third doll is a Leeke Mikhaila that I bought off MP here on DoA about a month and a half ago. I havent had time or money to make her "mine" yet so to speak so right now I probably would have no trouble selling her. However, Ive wanted one since they first came out so Im not letting her go that easily just yet xD But, if needed I think I could sell her too and she is just like my second doll not of as much sentimental worth to me as my first doll

 

Exactly! To compare this caliber of doll to Beanie Babies makes no sense, since Beanie Babies were meant to be cheap throwaway collectibles that just happened to turn into a raging fad. And if they've retained even as much value as they have, considering what they are, they're ahead of the game. ^^ On the other hand, Cabbage Patch Kids were a fad too, and also designed to be played-with-- but they were also a higher-ticket item at the time too, and a higher quality of toy than Beanie Babies. So the surviving specimens will retain their value over time, and their value will spike during periods of revival-popularity (i.e. the 1980s-revival craze we have now, and probably again in another 30 years).

BJDs, which are an even higher cailber of collectible than that, & not designed for mass distro or mass play, have an even better chance of retaining value. I too expect to see today's customizers/modders listed in tomorrow's BJD auction-catalogues for yea bucks.

And my earlier point about the Jumeaus wasn't even about the actual dolls or their values per se. It was that when you have something that's very old & hard-to-find & desirable (especially if it's limited release), the base item will still be worth a lot-- even if it's bald & naked & has half its face smeared off. But, if you DO have the original hair and shoes and paintjob, then the value will go through the roof. Because it's the little things, it's the throwaway fullset gear, it's even the packaging , that makes those values go from "wow" to "ZOMG WOW".

(I really did see an Antiques Roadshow episode where the lady had 2 Jumeaus, one trashed-up and one with shoes/makeup/hair/box/etc. extras; the difference in price was amazing.)

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?
Hmm, well BJDs in general aren't very old and I don't know anything about any other types of dolls, so I guess one made pre-2005 is old to me.

Do you think the dolls hold their value?
It depends on the doll. Volks, generally. Soom limiteds, almost always. Delfs, no.

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?
The oldest dolls I own were made in 2004/5, I think. They're super yellowed Er... I plan to keep them? I've modded them to my liking, minimizing yellowing where necessary, and I think they're perfect.

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?
Between eight and one year old, I think, bearing in mind I'm not the first owner of many of my dolls. I plan on keeping them foreveeeeer! They'd be hard to sell as they're very easy-to-find sculpts, quite popular, and they're mostly modded and knocked about through wear-and-tear. That's fine by me though. They're staying here!


I'm always entertained by people who think of buying BJDs as an investment. There are far easier things to invest in, far more predictable, far easier to look after. BJDs are for fun. That's it.

 

For me, it isn't about financial value. I buy dolls so they can embody my favorite characters, so they'll never fade from my mind and I can bring said characters a little closer to the real world. I buy dolls so I can love them forever.

 

I got my first BJD (Volks Megu) in 2000, so she's 12 years old, and I still have her. I'm not quick to sell my dolls - only if I really don't bond with them. I have no plans on getting rid of any of my dolls that I truly love right now. In fact, newer dolls tend to get sold more often.

Just by being an older doll doesn't lower it's value to me. It certainly doesn't make it 'aged or damaged'. I've been known to keep damaged dolls too, if I really like the sculpt. I just work their damage into their character.

Ah value - that is truly a market condition. I'm not an antique doll collector, but those who are can tell you that the prices go up and down depending on the economy, rarity of the doll, etc. I think if you are in this hobby to make money, than you buy a doll and sell it as soon as you see prices going up. If you are in this hobby, because you love the dolls, than you know that you may get what you paid for it, you may get more, you may get less, and in the end you hope it's a wash.

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?
To me, an "old doll" would have to be one that is....at least close to a decade old. Yellowing (mellowing) really doesn't factor in to me since it can be a sign of age, or it can be a sign that a doll was not properly protected from UV in order to prevent yellowing. And "old doll" is one that left the company and has been in the hands of an owner for many years.

Do you think the dolls hold their value?
Yes. If you take care of them, they can at least be worth close to what you paid for them. If it's a limited, it can be worth more. However, value is dependent on demand. Something is worth a price only if someone wants it.

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?
I own a luts head that I believe is a few years old. It has indeed yellowed a bit into a creamy-white, so....well it is aged, but I don't consider him damaged. I plan to keep him as a practice head. I was going to buy him a body, since he's an SDF that I want as a SSDF, but since Luts introduced their MyChoice option, I can buy an SSDF Abadon from them and not have to worry about resin matching.

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?
The one head I believe is a few years old...I'll need to check back to see what year he was made. I am currently waiting on my first full doll, but he is new from the company.

I don't usually get into hobbies with any intent to sell things. The only collection I parted with was my stuffed animals, and I donated them to the Salvation Army. I plan to keep these dolls for quite a long time...unless I have one I can't bond with, and I see it is worth something. Other than that, my dolls will remain mine.

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?
An old doll is a lot different than an old BJD to me considering BJDs are a rather new type of doll. Normally I'd consider a doll made ten-fifteen years ago old. For BJDS maybe anything made before 2005.

Do you think the dolls hold their value?
Depends on how well they are cared for but as far as their cost there are certain companies that hold their worth regardless of how old a doll might be such as Volks and Soom.

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?
My Dollfie Dream Aoi first edition was made back in 2004, she's super old~ I know she's vinyl as opposed to resin so she ages differently but there has been a slight 'yellowing' or discoloration if you will to her too. I treat her the same with my newer dolls so~ c:

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?
Between eight and one year old c: I plan to keep them with me forever or as long as possible!

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?
I agree with the standard many have proposed here-
pre-2005. Or, any doll that is from a company's first year- they tend to be 'quirkier' than later models. It's completely relative, but I don't think anything in this hobby is particularly old.

Do you think the dolls hold their value?
Totally relative. I think if a doll is well cared for , there is no reason for it to lose any value. Most people accept yellowing and the occasional broken-but-repaired finger as the inevitable qualities of an 'old' doll, but even with these imperfections, a sought-after doll can be worth more than its purchase price in time. Dolls that have been heavily modified, damaged, or hybrid-ed may not hold value, unless they are dolls styled by artists who have gone on to make a name for themselves.


Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?
I somehow managed to put a 2mm cut notch in the back of my Chrom's head. I am not going to do anything about it, as I plan to keep him forever, and it doesn't bother me. I've got an older doll that's still in production with a broken finger, I may buy a new hand if it ever re-breaks, but so far, it hasn't been a problem. I did have a doll that was very yellow, then dyed, and was also modified, which some people consider 'damaged'. I did end up selling that one at a loss.

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?
My oldest is turning 6 this month, and my newest is 11 months. I don't see any reason to be rid of them, if I don't like a doll once I buy it, it's out the door in three months or less. The ones I have, I plan to keep.

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?
I'm going to agree with the pre-2005 standard that others have been saying.

Do you think the dolls hold their value?
As long as they've been taken care of, I believe so. It depends on the doll, the limiteds would be more likely to hold original value or increase in value, while more common sculpts may hold original value (maybe it has a neat custom face-up) or decrease in value slightly due to being available from the company years later.

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?
As far as I can tell it doesn't appear that my dolls have aged, but I'm going to assume the ones that are a couple years old have probably yellowed/mellowed slightly. I plan to keep them of course! ^_^

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?
My dolls span from 2008-2012. I plan to keep them forever, the ones I have are very special to me.

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?
I guess a doll made before 2007? Bjds arent really old, and i dont see the age as a bad thing, but I entered the hobby in '08 so i guess i use that as my benchmark

Do you think the dolls hold their value?
I think it depends a lot on the dolls sculpt and condition. for example, a '08 limited soom doll will hold more value than a delf el in my opinion, because delfs were very popular and there are lots around whereas sooms were very limited runs. i think there will always be people who pride thier collections with mint first release dolls, just like there will always be people who want to bring little orphans home no matter details simply because the doll speaks to them.

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?
I own a soom heliot from his first release and I plan to keep him? lol I bought him for his beauty not is resale value. I have also purchased 2 cp tan mnf heads who i think might be older than my heliot, and with them i do have a bit of pride that I managed to get twins from such a limited doll release. My current crew I plan on keeping though, sometimes new dolls dont work out but I think my current doll list/wishlist has finalized very well the longer im in the hobby

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?
My dolls are between 4-0 years as far as I know, though some of my second hand ones im not sure of age... My tan mnfs and unoa 2.0 come to mind. As stated before though I plan on keeping my current crew save for maybe a few face plates

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?
An old doll you say? well, i've had Mich for at least 3-4 years and if you look at people who sell theirs after a year or so, i guess he's an old bjd.. But then again, i have a friend who's had her's since the beginning where the milky white has now turned green. so.. 8-9 years? But no, i don't consider my dolls old, mabe her's since they've changed color very dramatically, but are all cared for.

Do you think the dolls hold their value?
depends on if you care for them or don't? Mine are personally cleaned, not every month but when i see dirt on them, i take them down too, even removed a damaged bodyblushing on Mich (only problem now is his face don't have the same color cause i didn't remove the face-up =_=; but i'm carefull and i would very much want what i gave for them, at least! since their molds are still buy-able they can't be worth more, but atleast the same.

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?
Well, as i said, Mich is 3-4 years, and i don't percive that as old, but i plan on keeping him, thank oyu very much

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?
Mich is 3-4 years old and Iris is 1-2 years old, i plan on keeping both till the day i die, along with all the other dolls i collect in time :3

 

First of all, very interesting thread! I've been thinking about these things myself lately, after realizing how yellowed my two and a half-year old doll is. I pulled out her hand a bit from the string, and the resin on the hook that held the string was much more white than her hand... >.<

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?
I think it's old when you have grown tired of it. Sure, they are going to be yellowed and damaged in different ways, but as long as you still love your doll even if its damaged, it's not old.

Do you think the dolls hold their value?
Maybe it's money value will sink with a few dollars, I don't plan to sell any of my dolls, so that does not matter very much to me.

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?
My oldest doll that I've had for almost three years have some damage in his face after failed faceup- tries, and someday I will sand away that damage, and he have a new body that matches the head-resin, and I plan to keep him. He is very special to me because he is my first doll, and I think I would never be able to sell him.

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?
My oldest is 2-3 years old and the newest ones is over or under 1 year old. I don't intend to sell any of them at the moment, maybe one of them will have a new body, eventually.

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?
I've had my first doll for soon 4 years, and while that is actually quite a long time I wouldn't say he is "old" per say, just... older. He is mildly yellowed (I think so, but I've never seen a badly yellowed doll in person so who am I to say?), has a few scratches and whatnot from some accidental rough handling, and it's just generally pretty obvious that I've had him for a while. And I want to and intend to keep him until he is either beyond repair or until I've lost my affection/interest for him.

Do you think the dolls hold their value?
Strictly sales-price speaking a 7 year old doll would have less value if you could still find a pristine new doll of the same sculpt on the market. But a 7 year old limited, discontinued or generally rare doll in a good condition would have a higher value as the years flew by and the other copies became worn down, etc. But if you meant it on a sentimental level I'd say a older doll would usually have a higher sentimental value as you've had more time to bond with it (usually being the keyword.)

My doll might not have the same market value today as he did when I bought him, condition taken in mind, but to me the sentimental value he has makes him far more valuable and precious than any pristine copy you'd find of the same sculpt. Of course the sentimental value he holds for me wouldn't mean a thing if I decided to sell him (hurdur, unlikely... at least for now.)

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?
I mentioned earlier than he is mildly yellowed, has some resin seams, a few shallow scratches and a slight notch in the face-up after I came to accidentally scrape it away with the single long nail I had at the time (bad luck, gosh). All in all he is damaged and aged, but I intend to wipe off his face up, clean out the scratches and sand down the worse of them... as well as get him a new face-up and a torso blush. By the time I'm done with him he'll be a brand new doll.

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?
Mr.weathered and older is 4 years old and currently my only BJD (number to change soon enough.) and I love him so he isn't going to go anywhere anytime soon. >]

Aaand this turned out wayyyyyyy longer than intended. Sorry, I ramble a lot.

 

What do you consider an "old" doll?
I think I would consider a doll to be older if it was in the ten year range. I think that old is kind of a subjective term, though. I can't imagine getting tired of my girls. I think that my daughter will wind up with them one day when I die LOL. To me they are pieces of art and will age well.
Do you think the dolls hold their value?
I do. Like anything demand and economy affect this, but I think by and large a doll in good condition will likely fetch pretty close to what you paid for it. If you have chosen a doll that is really popular it may even be worth more.
Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?
I have a couple of older dolls. One is from the now gone Rosendo of Japan company. She is flawed, but that is how those dolls apparently came. She has pits around her collar bone and these dolls are very heavy and can not stand on their own. I also have an older Luts Delf girl who was from the first releases. I love them both. I have never looked at my dolls and been shocked at the change in color, etc. I don't think I would A)notice (unless I was updating body parts and the resin was glaringly different) or B) care. All my dolls are chosen with care and then the characters I've picked out for them are carefully nurtured through MODS, clothes, wigs, eyes, etc. If a doll isn't working out for me I sell it, but usually if I bought it I want it.
How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?
My dolls range from the two older ones (who I believe are pushing ten? I am not their first owner). My "youngest" was bought in November. Like I said, I'm sure my daughter will be trying to decide what to do with them when I pass away. I love them. I love looking at them. I have my BJD case by the t.v. and sometimes can't focus on the show I'm watching because I keep looking at my lovely dolls LOL. I have gone through doll fads, OOAK Barbies, but the BJDs seem to mean more to me and I'm sure it's because they are my way to express my artistic side now that I don't have time to draw anymore.

 

What do you consider to be an "old" doll?
I guess I go along the lines of older than me? or ermm 10 years old (since 10 years = 1 decade, that just makes it sound REALLY old doesn't it? XD lol) My Petsha is from 2007 and I don't see her as old, even though I have had her for 8 years.

Do you think the dolls hold their value?
I think it depends on the their upkeep, demand, and if they're limited. Otherwise, to myself it holds value as I my Petsha was my 1st & therefore I value her a lot. I have also noted that the DoD site is selling their dolls for slightly cheaper? As the free event head was valued at $140 back then, but is now $120.

Do you own an aged or damaged doll? If so, what do you plan to do with it?
I guess mine has aged? considering how she looks compared to my friend's new DoT arrival. She is definitely of different resin base & coloring, but she's a nice mellow peachy yellow. Sill quite pale but not "whitish."

How old are your dolls and how long do you plan to keep them?
Answered in 1st question, although I'm keeping my girl as long as I can afford to. The event head I got >> I did try to sell ... but there was no interest in it so, we shall see about that because he would need a body among other things.

 

What do you consider to be an old doll?

I would consider any doll over 50 years old to be considered old. By definition this would be a "vintage doll".
With the BJD's still being a fairly new hobby in my book, over 5 years would be an older doll to me.

Do you think the dolls will hold their value?

Interesting question that only time will tell. The hobby is still so new. I would imagine some dolls will hold their value such as very Limited dolls, dolls done by the artist and signed, but who really knows. I don't think this is a trendy collectible but with all the new dolls coming out in droves and the recast issues I am worried that this has cheapened the hobby somewhat. Rare alone does not always mean good and collectible. All doll values (antique, vintage, modern) have pretty much proven that over time the most desirable and sought after dolls have been the female, rare and beautiful. There will always be a market for the quirky dolls but that market is small compared to the other. Only time will prove how the BJD holds up.

Do you own an aged or damaged doll and if so, what do you plan to do with it?
No, I do not own any aged or damaged dolls. I try to stay away from damage as I'm afraid over time the damage will just get worse. I have nothing against the older dolls as I find some of them unique and beautiful but just haven't found one that called to me yet.
I think with this hobby being so new and volatile, I would try and stay away from anything damaged or modded that was expensive as you might find it hard to recoup your money down the road. Personalizing anything permanently will always affect the value no matter what it is.

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

I have antique bisque, wood, paper mâché etc. from the Civil War to my modern BJD's.
I have had a sizeable number of BJD's and sold most and have just kept a few (starting to get more again).
My oldest is a Dust of Dolls Tank from 2010. Most are newer, Val
Zeitler DT full-sets, a few Connie Lowe, some BJ Tales, Soom Imda Natassa, Kaye Wiggs, etc.

I sometimes worry about tying a lot of money up in my BJD's but I truly love them and they make me happy which accounts for something. It can't always be about money. I usually sell or trade when I tire of a doll but usually get a replacement. I love this passionate hobby and love the other collectors involved in it too.
Jillian

 

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

Any doll that's been around for more than a year or two, that shows signs of aging. New to me is a doll that is brand new from the factory and still in the box. Anything that's been out of a box isn't new, it's used. Anything that's showing signs of use or aging, that's not new.

Do you think the dolls hold their value?

Some rare limited ones might but overall not really. I think a lot of used dolls for sale are very overpriced considering their age, condition, etc.

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

Yes, several of them actually. I have bought such project dolls intentionally. I fixed them up and now I intend to keep them.

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

They vary in age from several months old to several years. Forever most likely, most of them. I have two mini heads I am in the process of swapping for something I like more, but otherwise they're here to stay. I don't buy dolls to sell them later. I buy them to enjoy them. I honestly do not care how much they are worth. Or will be worth in the future.

 

I have my modded agne ai hani already 3-4 years, and I'm the second owner, so I guess she's already 5-6 years old though. In my opinion she's quite old, but not ancient xD ancient doll for me is, for example, Soom Sabik :P
So far I'm not going to sell my girl and I think she will stay with me no matter what. I've already thought that bjd is not for me and leave this hobby for almost 2 years.. and I didn't had guts to sell her.
I don't think so that dolls hold their value, the strongest argument against is resin itself - it's change color with time, no matter how owner care about he's/her's baby.

 

I only have two bj dolls and love them both. I bought my Dollstown 13 yo Ariel in 2009 - I think. I'd have to double check my records to be sure. I've thought about selling her since I now find myself more interested in the smaller dolls but every time I open her box it's like seeing her for the first time. She's so pretty so she's here to stay for quite some time.

My hope is that as technology advances there will be improvements in materials so that we don't have yellowing, etc. I don't see any color shift in Ariel or my LeekeWorld Mabel - my other sweet little girl and no chips, etc. I guess their true value to me lies in how much I love them. And if there ever comes a time when I want to sell them I'm ok with taking a hit on what I paid since I've absolutely received a lot of pleasure during the time I've had them.