Kate’s Tangents – Collectibility

So, there’s this word I hear being thrown around a lot in various doll related groups on various platforms.

Collectible

I don’t like this word, collectible. It makes it sound like there are dolls out there that aren’t worth the time for someone to collect and enjoy.

It’s not true. There is no doll out there that isn’t worth your time to collect if you like them enough to want them in your collection.

The word collectible where dolls, action figures and toys are concerned is usually used to delineate dolls and toys that for some reason hold more monetary value. Older 60s and 70s Barbies are considered collectible, high end Fashion Royalty, Poppy Parker and Tonner dolls are considered collectible. So are BJDs and Reborn dolls. But modern Barbie, Rainbow High, American Girl and others are looked down on as not collectible.

Porcelains aren’t collectible either because a lot of them are mass produced and not worth much. But, you say, I don’t care what my dolls are worth. I collect because I like them. Am I wrong?

No, you are not wrong. If someone is willing to collect a doll, then the doll is collectible to that person. Defining collectability by monetary value is only one way to collect. And for me, the least fulfilling way. Collecting dolls isn’t about the money you can make if you sell them later…it’s about enjoying the dolls now. At least, in my eyes.

So…let’s stop defining dolls’ collectability by their monetary value and work on remembering that whether a doll is collectible or not is subjective to the collector.