How much did the first Barbie doll cost?

Handler always saw Barbie as a reflection of the times, with the first doll mimicking the glamour of 1950s stars such as Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe. In its first year, 300,000 Barbie dolls were sold. The first Barbie doll sold for $3.00, but a mint condition #1 doll can fetch more than $25,000 today. 2. Barbie’s Impressive Resume

How did Barbie get its name?

The doll is named after Handler's daughter Barbara, who was the inspiration behind Barbie's creation. Barbie was created by Ruth Handler of Mattel who was the principal architect of the doll's campaign. Handler was inspired by watching her daughter play with paper dolls that resembled adult women. At the time, baby dolls were the popular toy.

Where did Barbie come from?

(In another version of this origin story, Ruth got the idea from an adult novelty doll she’d seen while vacationing in Switzerland.) Ruth named the doll Barbie, after her daughter. The first model went on display in March 1959 at the annual Toy Fair in New York City.