The Vintage Historical Dolls You Can Thrift That Are Seriously Valuable Now

It's always fun to explore thrift stores and see what you can find. More often than not, you only stumble across basic items. However, every once in a while, you may find a real gem. If you've been hunting, you probably already know some of the most valuable items to seek out at a thrift store. One of these categories is discontinued toys, and under that list are dolls. There might be expensive dolls at your local thrift store, some hundreds of years old. What might surprise you, however, is that a doll doesn't have to be ancient to be worth a lot of money. American Girl Dolls, first founded in the '80s, have the potential to make you several thousand dollars.

Of course, not every part of their collection is valuable. After all, there are nearly 200 different kinds of American Girl Dolls. However, none are exactly inexpensive either. Generally, the ones that cost the most are no longer sold and are hard to find. However, even if you don't come across a rare option, it's a good idea to save them, especially if they look well cared for and have their original clothes.

When you can get them for a fraction of the price, this is a pretty good investment, which is why it's worth looking around for one every time you go to a thrift store. If you want the best chance of finding some impressive items, go on Mondays or Tuesdays, as those are often considered the best days to visit a thrift store.

While American Girl Dolls are quite the find at thrift stores and yard sales, they aren't the only ones. There are other valuable vintage dolls you should definitely buy at the thrift store if you come across one. However, the American Girl Dolls are much easier to identify and are newer, with enough being in circulation that other thrifters may overlook them, not realizing their value.

Of course, you want to make sure you are actually grabbing the right one. The first thing to do is to check the back of the doll's neck. It should have either "American Girl" or "Pleasant Company" stamped just under the hairline. They also don't have many gaps in the hair like other dolls will, because the company sews the strands onto a piece of fabric and then attaches that to the scalp, and they add many layers so it looks very thick, making it hard to see hair tracks even when you move it around the scalp. It's also worth understanding the face molds and the dolls they match. American Girl Dolls have just a few molds that make them very distinct. 

The most valuable American Girl Dolls are those that have been discontinued or 'retired.' Each doll has her own name, and the most expensive dolls to re-sell include Felicity Merriman and Nellie O'Malley. Molly McIntire dolls can be found selling for more than $400.