American Girl dolls

Good news for everyone who kept their entire American Girl doll collection in their childhood home’s basement, because it might be worth a small fortune.

The original cast members, Felicity, Samantha, and Molly, have become valuable collector’s items. And they are commanding hundreds of dollars to some degree. But, before you go searching in the attic for Kirsten, keep in mind that your doll must meet specific criteria to be considered valuable. The most valuable dolls were those made by Pleasant Company, the original owner of American Girl, formed in 1986 by Pleasant Rowland. In 1998, Rowland sold the company to Mattel, and in 2008, the original four American Girls—Samantha, Kirsten, Molly, and Felicity—were “retired,” making them even more desirable as collector’s goods.