Collecting vintage dolls is a great hobby and one of the best ways to keep your childhood reminiscences alive. It's a really good way to conserve history too, since stunning vintage dolls span many centuries. Believe it or not, the first known doll was made up of rags.

Doll collectors can chose from a variety of vintage and modern dolls when building their collections. The older vintage dolls were made with porcelain before bisque dolls were created. Later dolls were made with composite, vinyl, celluloid, china and plastic.

There are so many vintage dolls available in the market these days, how do you know which is the better collectible? First, you should know that scarcity sometimes may put one doll ahead of another in the collectible bracket. Popularity is another factor which can make the doll a collectible. Barbie is a classic example as these dolls are always very popular with collectors with the more scarce ones being the most valuable.

Some collectors specialize in certain styles of craftsmanship in doll production while other collectors are more interested in doll clothing or particular materials of construction. One who collects porcelain dolls will be after the vintage models produced during the 19th century. A folk art collector will be very interested in regional home made dolls.

For those who collect vintage dolls, the main characteristic among all others is the overall appearance of the piece. In fact, the condition of any particular doll can account for a wide variance in the price it will bring. For example, a nice-looking version of an antique Barbie doll in great condition will command the highest value while the same doll in not-so-good condition will always be worth much less. Another factor influencing a doll's value is whether it comes with its original clothes and packaging. That same vintage Barbie in excellent condition would be worth much more if it was still in its original packaging.

Of course, more than any other factor, you should focus collecting those dolls which have some personal appeal to you. Your individuality and interests should be seen in your collection, not those of other people. Initially, try to collect a few different types of a particular line of dolls such as Liddle Kiddles, Betty Boop, or G.I. Joe. If you aim to assemble too broad a variety early on, you may become quickly frustrated as you will end up adding ones to your collection that really don't fit well as you build you collection. But even if you do end up with some you no longer want, never fear. It's easy to now sell these to a fellow collector who would be thrilled to acquire them using eBay.