There are five types of Barbie collectors. Those who collect dolls and never intend to sell them. Those who collect dolls for a long term investment. Those who collect dolls for resale to finance their permanent collection. Children - who collect dolls to play with.
Most people fall into one of the first three categories.
However, it's not a bad idea to pay attention to what children and secondary market collectors are buying. The dolls that children love and play with today will be the dolls they are looking to buy twenty years from now. Children play rough, original clothing often is destroyed, and household pets, the weather, and brothers wreak havoc on play dolls. Secondary market retailers often have a good eye for what will rise quickly in value. Who would have thought that the 1995 Little Bo Peep Barbie doll would become so valuable in such a short time.