How to Tell How Old a Vintage Barbie Is

Check your Barbie doll's facial features, paying particular attention to the color of the eyes, lips and complexion. The first Barbie was made in 1959, and dolls from this era tend to have blue eyes, closed red lips and may be very pale. If your doll is faded or has an evenly pale complexion this could be an indication of age; materials used to make the dolls in the 1950s tend to show fading. Barbie dolls from the early 1970s have either closed mouths or a small smile. It is also common for vintage Barbies to have something called "green ear." This is usually caused by the material used in the Barbie's metal earring posts. Newer Barbies usually do not have green ear because their earrings are almost always plastic.

Examine your Barbie doll's hair, noting the quality of the material used to make the hair, and the hairstyle. The first Barbie produced had a ponytail. Subsequent dolls had hairstyles that were popular at their time of manufacture, such as ponytails and bubble cuts. If your Barbie's hair is made of rough vinyl she may be a pre-1970s model. After this time the quality of Barbie's hair improved. Dolls made from the 1980s onwards tend to have thick, glossy hair.

Look at the Barbie doll's body. The positioning of the doll's arms is another indication of age. Up until the early 1970s, all Barbies had straight arms, whereas dolls made in later years have arms with a bend in the elbow. The first-ever Barbie model made had copper wiring in her legs and holes in her feet. This was to enable her to be positioned on a stand. Although the second Barbie model produced was identical to the first, she did not have holes in her feet. Check your doll's waist. After 1970 all dolls had a twist waist on a straight axis. Barbie dolls from the last 15 years are easy to spot as they usually have big smiles and a slightly larger face.