When dolls sell out

I don't think Lyell is a limited doll per se, but sometimes dolls are discontinued for one reason or another. But then they will usually announce that.
Sometimes dolls are "sold out" if they get a lot of orders on that doll and all the casting molds are in use or perhaps because they need to make new molds, as those wear out over time. So he might come back in stock eventually. The only way to know is probably to ask then though.
As for price going up that really depends on the doll. If it's a higly desired and popular doll that's discontinued, the price might go up a notch or stay at original company price. Mostly though I don't think it affects secondhand prices that much. Most of the originals Delf doll are unavailible but they rarely go above the original price despite being quite popular.

 

As Neo Rebirth said, all the original Delf dolls have sold out, or rather Luts stopped selling them, which means that the vast majority of my dolls are unable to bought new. Does it change the way I feel about my dolls? Not in the slightest. It makes me sad that there is now a finite amount of these dolls in the world. But I can't understand why you think it's "awesome" to own a sold-out doll. I wasn't aware it was a particularly big deal. I don't think, for the majority of dolls, that it affects their resale price a whole lot.

 

To be honest having a doll I own sell out does not make me happy, It makes me more carefull of the doll. since if anything were to happen to said doll there would no longer be a way to replace it.

I do understand it could feel good to own one if you have previously missedout on dolls by them selling out.
And yes the value of some dolls does rise once they sell out, but also for some it does not.
That just depends on the doll/mold etc.

 

I don't think anyone is judging you. I can understand you feel lucky to get your doll in time. It's incredible annoying when you finally find the perfect doll and it's sold out

As for my own feelings and perspective, it always make me a little sad when a non-limited doll is out of stock. Especially in the case of the Delfs as there are several I would like at some point (Soo in particular), but they are rarely on the marketplace.
I know I'm crossing my fingers that Fairyland may one day re-release the remaining Delf heads.

 

Like any collectible, a rare item (and by rare, I mean not easily acquired) is only as valuable as what someone will pay for it. I have plenty of "rare" Beanie Babies and I can't give the damned things away. So, a discontinued or sold out doll is no guarantee of its value to others. And it also bears mentioning that many doll companies list a doll as sold out when in fact they are out of stock and are waiting for whatever reason they choose to reopen sale of it.

But that said, I know what you mean about the thrill of having something that maybe few others have and that might be coveted by others. It makes that doll just a little extra special. I have a DollnDoll Dark Loren that has been discontinued and I've only seen a very few here on DoA, so I have to assume that she wasn't really all that popular. So, yeah, she's not made any more, and I don't think I'd get that great of a price for her if I did try to sell her, but she's still very special to me

Harlequin wasn't being rude - he/she was stating an opinion. No one is judging you. When you post on General Discussion/Dolly Debate, you have to be prepared for a variety of opinions, not all of which are going to agree with yours

 

My point of view is more in tune with Elaisa's; it's not to say that I'm careless with my dolls, but over time, things do happen(yellowing, breakage, theft, etc.), and not having the insurance of rebuying a mold if something completely horrible happens does make me a bit more paranoid. I do have a few dolls from a company who has closed shop, and, in truth, it makes me sad to not see box openings from this company anymore, as well as less people joining the specific doll threads in the size discussion forums. I also really like seeing what other people do with the same mold, so that's kind of a bummer, too.

In terms of monetary value, judging from the marketplace, having a limited or discontinued sculpt doesn't automatically raise the value of a doll; it does seem to be a combination of extremely high demand and extremely limited quantity, Volks and Soom limiteds are what comes to mind. Even those prices are subject to change over time; a specific doll might be extremely pricey and popular for a few months, and then settle into a steadier, lower price, eventually. However, if you do decide to sell your sculpt and are not in a hurry to get money, you can always set a higher than original retail price and see if there are specific people who really like the sculpt and are willing to pay the price. You won't always get buyers, and it might take quite a while(years, perhaps), but that's always an option if you want to sell the doll but truly can't bear to part with it at a lower price. And of course people in general are willing to pay more for a doll that's in better condition.

So, I think having a discontinued sculpt has both advantages and disadvantages, and it's really hard to predict in the far, nebulous future, how much a doll will sell on the secondary market. I'm happy for you, though, because you're so happy and excited about this happening to your first doll, and I think this is what a hobby should be.

 

i own at least one "sold out" doll and like Elaisa it does not make me happy. if i were buying dolls with specific intent to resell them then of course this would be to my advantage, but as it stands i'm emotionally attached to most of my dolls, and the idea that if they were broken or severely damaged or stolen-- well, if they are sold out or limited dolls they are nearly irreplacable... then again, even if the doll looks exactly the same, there's something creepy about the idea of just replacing your lost doll with a "clone".

pretty weird thought, but although dolls don't age the way we do, and are not alive, they're not immortal either. maybe having a limited/sold out doll makes me appreciate my dolls' "lifespan" even more.

 

You're right - there are good and bad eggs in every fandom, but I don't think you have anything to worry about. You asked a legitimate question, respectfully, and you're just sharing your excitement for the hobby. No one is going fault you for that! I've been away from the hobby for a while, and I'm just starting to dip my toes back in. Honestly, I'm little jealous of that excitement!

So don't worry...you're good!

And yeah, those darn Beanies. I guess I should probably do a bit of research on the ones I own, then start giving them away. No one's going to buy them, that's for sure!

 

When my RingDoll Shao (old WS) was discontinued, I was excited because I thought it would make him SO much more special! Especially since I had bought the fullset. But no, not really. I've seen a few that just sit on the MP, listed at far less than I paid for him. And they also re-released him this past summer (though different resin), which made me feel like he was even less special. However, -I- love him and have no intention of selling him, so it really doesn't matter if he's not worth much.

I have a few dolls now that are sold out on the company website or were limited event heads (AoD Gu, DZ Mo-B, RD Shao, BBD Waltz...), or were discontinued in the colors I own them (Jie Doll Michel in chocolate skin), or were just rare to begin with (certain minimee heads). They feel special to ME because they're rare or can't be re-bought. but that's about it.

EDIT: on the beanie baby topic, might I suggest giving them away as freebies when selling on the MP? :P Sell a doll, give him/her a travel buddy?

 

Two of my girls are no longer manufactured. The company that made my first girl just up and disappeared, leaving buyers without their purchased dolls while Souldoll discontinued both the body and sculpt of my second girl.

When Souldoll discontinued thier older Soulkids, I was a little sad. Sure my Tiffee isn't the best at posing, but I love how detailed her body is and I loved how unique the old Soulkids' scuplts were. Of course, sometimes they come up for sale on the Marketplace, so I could always get another one some day. What scares me is that there is a small crack starting in her knee and I'm worried that if I try to fix it with epoxy then I'll mess it up some how. I already faced the reality that if some part of my Mythdoll gets damaged then I'm in a jam. One of her fingers broke then fell off and got lost. Thankfully, she came with an extra pair of hands.

Like others have said, just because a sculpt is no longer being made doesn't automatically mean it increases in value. It depends more on demand and the condition of the doll.

 

I have a SOOM Silt. :P I was SO paranoid to do anything with him because I was afraid if something happened to him, I wouldn't be able to replace him. Now I sort of drag him everywhere, because he's meant to be enjoyed.

I like to think he's pretty special, he was my first doll too, and a limited. But aside from that, I doubt his price would go up if I decide to sell. Unless I get some fantastic work done on him by a well known, talented, in demand artist.

Even that may not raise the price.

I would think something rare and limited, would be a doll sculpted by the head company sculptor, signed and dated, and exclusively one of a kind. There are no other dolls like it at all, it will not be reproduced.

Something that is no longer made, doesn't quite fall into that category, but I would still think it still has relative value. Though this only seems to apply to things that are in demand, popular, and complete sets.

Either way, I still think my boy is pretty special, and I do feel lucky to have gotten him. I have a hard time getting my 'dream doll(s)' too!

 

OMG, that's a great idea!

 

I personally own a fair few LE/Sold Out dolls (Mainly SOOMs limiteds) and I don't really think of them as anything other than the dolls that I wanted to own.

I bought them because I liked their sculpts, not because of any other reason. So the reason they're special to me/give me a bit of a thrill is more because I got to own one. Not because other people can't have them, etc. I suppose a few of them would fetch a larger amount of money than what I paid, but I don't really care about that xD

I know sometimes when I know that a doll I want is going to sell out/ be discontinued, I rush to get in to buy it before this happens- then the thrill of it is knowing that I beat the clock xD

 

Sometimes I feel a bit sad when a sculpt that I own is discontinued by the doll company/artist. I bought that sculpt because I love it and if it's no longer being sold that means there won't be more people enjoying the doll and there won't be more dolls of the same sculpt for me to look at. It is also sort of strange to expect that all non-limited molds will be available forever and I keep in the back of my mind the knowledge that some dolls will be discontinued. I have several dolls that were offered as basic dolls and are no longer produced. Of some the whole company disappeared. D:

Market value is a whole different story. It depends on so many factors, but I feel that increased resale value is often a thing of the moment.

 

Possibly the sculptor who made Lyell owned the rights to his head and has left DIM, which means Lyell could become available for sale from another company. I think this has happened with sculpts retired from other companies like Souldoll. The company has sculptors for hire with their own style rather than in-house sculptors working in a particular style, and they own their work rather than the company.

I have a couple of sold out dolls and I love them! I love them anyway, but their sold out-ness gives them a little edge over the others. My SDC Kurt is handled with kid gloves because he is pretty much irreplaceable for me. I wouldn't know where to begin to find another one in the same condition with all of his LE stock stuff. My SD Rose is also irreplaceable to me, Volks might re-release her, but there's no guarantees and even if they did she wouldn't really look like my girl with her custom face-up!

If it's a standard doll that has sold out, like Muisje, I do feel sad. It felt like the end of an era when Iplehouse discontinued the original YID and when Luts stopped carrying the Delf line.

 

None of these dolls are older than 15 years. So discussions of 'collectibles value' is all speculative, really. A rare or limited doll WILL be worth more as time passes (hard to get). These dolls have MUCH more intrinsic value than Beanie Babies (which do hold most of their original $3-$5 worth, BTW) or OMG cereal boxes from the 30s (seriously ~sigh~) so in 50 or 100 years I'm thinking they'll be where Barbies or Jumeau BeBe's are now ( yayy for your kids/grandkids). For right now, be glad you got your doll - it DOES suck that you won't be able to get replacement stuff, tho.