How to Determine the Value of Shirley Temple Dolls

Shirley Temple was a popular child actress in the 1930s and 1940s, who was famous for her curly hair and dimples. She starred in over 40 feature-length movies, singing and dancing her way to the top of the box office . At the height of the actress's popularity, 1.5 million Shirley Temple dolls were sold a year. Today her dolls are still popular with collectors, and ones in mint condition can sell in the hundreds, even thousands of dollars.

Take your doll to a local doll or collectible store in your area. Retail stores that specialize in dolls can often help you to determine a general value of your doll.

Consult a Web site that specializes in Shirley Temple dolls. The Loretta's Shirley Temple Dolls website, for instance, has pictures and information on the different dolls that have been available over the years. This site also offers a valuation service and buys, sells and trades Shirley Temple Dolls. The Shirley Temple Dolls Web site also offers information to help collectors value and identify their dolls.

Ask a doll appraiser to determine a value for your Shirley Temple doll. If appraisers are not available in your area, you can send pictures and information to an online appraiser.

Consult a book such as "Shirley Temple Dolls and Fashions: A Collector's Guide to the World's Darling," which is available online and at book stores.

Locate doll and collectible shows in your area where experts may be available to help you determine the value of your doll. Web sites such as Collectors Weekly list doll and collectible shows that will be occurring in your area.

Check completed and current Ebay auctions for Shirley Temple Dolls to see if a collectible similar to the one you own is or has been listed. If you do find an auction for a comparable doll, use the value as a general guideline only, as auctions are dependent on many different factors.