Are you a keen collector? Do you see your collections as potential investments? Jasmine Birtles and the MoneyMagpie team say dig out your old toy box and see if you have some Polly Pocket lying around as they could be the next Big Thing after the success of Barbie.
TV journalist and Investment enthusiast Jasmine Birtles said: “The success of the Barbie movie is quite extraordinary when you think about it.
“A film about a children’s toy has managed to net a magic ‘nine-figure’ sum for its makers and has officially taken the title of the highest-grossing film of 2023 worldwide. It has also meant that Barbie dolls have become the most surprising new investment of 2023.”
Now, Mattel, the owner of Barbie, has revealed that they are planning a Polly Pocket movie for its next ‘big project.’ The movie, set to star Lily Collins, will bring the Polly Pockets to life.
Polly Pockets were launched in 1982 with Mattel acquiring the rights in 1998. The original Polly Pocket toys were plastic cases which opened to form a dollhouse with Polly Pocket figurines inside. The cases, along with the doll, could be folded, making the Polly Pockets the ultimate mobile toy.
Their history hasn’t been completely smooth. Polly Pockets have actually been discontinued on more than one occasion, with the dolls most recently re-introduced in 2018.
Yet if the upcoming Polly Pocket movie turns out to be another major box office hit, Polly Pockets will capture the public’s imagination once again. If that happens, then some of the discontinued lines in particular are likely to rise in value significantly.
We don’t yet have a release date for the movie, but there’s little doubt that Mattel will be keen to get cracking considering the success of its most recent hit.
Check on eBay and you will see there is an abundance of 1990 Polly Pockets sets selling for between £10 and £20, while sets from the 1980s are typically fetching between £40 and £100.
So would-be collectors don’t have to break the bank to pick up a potential investment piece. If the movie proves to be a hit, then buying some dolls now could earn you a tidy profit in future. Just bear in mind that you’ll need to have the means to store them for a few years.
If you’re interested in buying Polly Pocket dolls, or any other type of dolls for that matter, then focusing on ‘limited edition’ dolls is likely to give you the highest chance of bagging a profit.
Older sets are also likely to be worth more than dolls from the 1990s or later.
However, as with any collectables, there’s no certainty that Polly Pockets will significantly rise in value, even if the film comes out.
Keep in mind that investing in collectables is seen as an ‘alternative investment’ that you should consider as an extra to more traditional places to put your hard-earned cash
As Jasmine says: “It could be worth investing in some Polly Pockets if you have money left over after putting some in investments like a pension, equity ISAs and, of course, money in a savings account.
“But don’t put all your cash into these cute creatures. All investments are subject to the ups and downs of the market and Polly Pockets are no different. However, they do make a colourful addition to your core investments and could bring you a surprise windfall later on.”
