1981 American Doll and Toy Corp 24 Inch Baby Doll

Courtesy of Madame Alexander/Theriault's

Yay, it's yard sale and flea market season! Thinking of unloading some of your possessions? Don't start sorting till you know what you can sell to the neighbor kid for a buck… and what might be worth (a lot) more. For example, remember when McDonald's had Happy Meals with collectible miniature Madame Alexander dolls as the toy? People are all over them on eBay.

But if you're looking to make some major cash, skip the Madame Alexander Happy Meal toys stashed in your attic (eBay sales on those range from just $1 for a single figure to $100 for a full Wizard of Oz collection from 2008) and hope that you have some vintage Madame Alexanders hiding up there instead. Certain classic Madame Alexander dolls — especially those from the 1940s and 1950s — might be worth well into the thousands, according to antique doll collector, historian, and expert Dr. Marsha Trentham Hunter, who has been a member of the Madame Alexander Doll Club since the 1970s.

Whether you're wondering if you're sitting on a goldmine, or looking to hit the jackpot on the local estate sale circuit, here are the Madame Alexander dolls that are most in demand among collectors today. Our intel comes from Theriault's, a leading auction house specializing in antique dolls and playthings:

Today's Most Valuable Madame Alexander Dolls

Hard Plastic 18" and 21" Dolls, From the Early '50s

This one recently sold at auction for $25,000.

Cissy Dolls, From 1955 to 1958

Who is Cissy and why does she fetch $5,000-plus? She's technically the name of the head and face mold of America's first "fashion doll" (pre-dating Barbie, in fact). Cissy lent her likeness to an array of muses, from red-headed brides to tulle ballgown-clad debutantes.

21" Composition Dolls, From 1942 to 1946

Composition is a material made from a sawdust-based composite that was the go-to for dollmakers before hard plastic made it obsolete. This Marie Antoinette example sold at auction for $20,000.

Early Cloth Dolls in Limited Production

Madame Alexander's cloth baby dolls are what put founder Beatrice Alexander Behrman on the map when she started her company in 1923. At the time, porcelain dolls were the thing but also prone to breakage so when Madame's cloth characters came to market it was a game-changer.

Take note that the specificity of this list shouldn't discourage you from seeking out other lucrative secondary market opportunities. Hunter suggests monitoring eBay, Ruby Lane, and Etsy to see what doll models are being offered for sale and the amounts they have sold for.

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An important resale guideline, if your doll is not in its original packaging: "Cleaning is not recommended," says Hunter. And if your vintage Madame Alexander's comps are high, a pro can sell her for you quickly (standard offers tend to be 40 to 60 percent of the estimated resale value). "The dealer or auction house will advise if the condition is detrimental to the selling of the doll and include any professional repair or cleaning in its offer or estimate."

And if you're not ready to part with your Madame Alexander, as saleable as she may be? Store her properly so that she ages with beauty. "I recommend a container that is not air-tight — moisture can be trapped in an air tight one — using archival tissue paper as the wrapping material, and putting the container inside the temperature-controlled house, not in an attic or garage," she says.

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1981 American Doll and Toy Corp 24 Inch Baby Doll

Source: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/money/a28313518/madame-alexander-dolls-value/

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