Dolls and doll collecting is a subject near and dear to my heart but not easily explained in “general” terms. If most of your dolls are vintage 1970s and 80’s play dolls that are still boxed, your potential buyers will probably be those that were children during that timeframe and want to replace a childhood doll. Or, they might want to replace a childhood playmate to recreate some fun with a grandchild or child. If your dolls are the mass produced, LE’s from China, they are typically bought for their fancy costumes as decorator dolls.

Based on the “clue” you gave that most are boxed with certificates, those are probably mass-produced, limited editions (annual, editions of 10,000, etc). Most of that type were porcelain head and limbs with cloth bodies and made by companies like Ashton-Drake, Franklin Mint, etc. There were also many vinyl Barbies that were offered as limited editions. Most of both types have not held their value well and unfortunately usually sell for less than when issued.

As far as popular dolls today, Madame Alexander dolls are still highly collectible today. The American Girl dolls are very popular and of course, the inexpensive Barbie still sells well. There are doll collectors that collect strictly 1950’s dolls, composition dolls, antique bisque dolls, china dolls, Schoenhut wooden dolls, etc., etc. There are collectors that collect only Blythe dolls, American Character, Ideal, R&B, Vogue, Effanbee, etc., etc.

If you can identify what material your dolls are made of, it would go a long way toward helping with the ids. Feel free to contact me in my booth if you want more detail. I am always happy to discuss dolls with anyone that is interested.

The best places to do your own research are the library (there are many books on dolls), on-line resources such as dollreference.com, Google, and selling sites such as Bonanzle, EB, etc.