A thrifter was left stunned after uncovering a rare vintage Barbie doll still sealed in its original packaging at a local thrift store.
The Reddit user, who goes by u/Lazy-Werewolf-7604, shared their find in the subreddit r/ThriftStoreHauls, revealing they had purchased a limited-edition “Fabergé Imperial Elegance Barbie” for just $30. The post quickly gained traction, racking up more than 4,600 upvotes from fellow users.
“Seen this at a local thrift shop today and had to have it. She’s complete with no damage and she’s brand new with sealed accessories and COA [certificate of authenticity]. Definitely couldn’t pass her up. Photos are from before I bought her and inside the thrift shop,” the poster wrote.
According to Barbiepedia, the Fabergé Imperial Elegance Barbie is a highly coveted collector’s piece released in 1997 as part of the Fabergé Porcelain Barbie Collection.
Found this today thrifting
by u/Lazy-Werewolf-7604 in ThriftStoreHauls
The doll was handcrafted in fine bisque porcelain and dressed in a regal blue satin gown with a golden lamé underskirt, lavishly embroidered with over 50,000 stitches and adorned with more than 175 hand-sewn Swarovski crystals.
Accessories include a 22K gold-plated egg-shaped evening bag containing a miniature crystal heart, faux pearl jewelry, crystal drop earrings, and a tiara finished in gold plate. Each doll was hand-numbered in 22K gold, with production limited to just 15,000 units worldwide.
Comparable dolls retail online for hundreds of dollars, with listings upward of $446.99, and one currently retails for $838.94.
In a follow-up comment, the original poster said the doll had been priced surprisingly low and described it as an exceptionally good deal. They suggested the store likely didn’t realize what it had and may have assigned a random price. The Reddit user also recalled that several other shoppers gathered around to look at the doll, but quickly walked away once they confirmed their intent to purchase it.
The discovery sparked amazement—and envy—among fellow Reddit users.
“Oh. My. God. Fabergé ****** Barbie. I’ve only lusted after her since 1998. Her purse is a jeweled egg! Good job, happy for you, angry hands in pockets, etc.,” shared one user.
“Nobody who was gifted this would have been allowed to play with it let alone take it out of the box. I wouldn’t have expected anything less than still wrapped up like it was straight from the factory,” commented another.
“It’s just crazy that it got donated. Some dumbass didn’t realize how rare this would be to find,” said one user.
“This is beautiful, but I have to admit the fabric she is laying in is giving casket. The details on the dress are gorgeous!” another joked.
“Wow, that’s an excellent price!” added one commenter.
“Not even a barbie person but that is such a gorgeous doll, the details on her clothes are incredible,” wrote another.
“I have never even seen this barbie before, she is gorgeous!” said a third.
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