Everything You Want to Know About the History of the Cabbage Patch Dolls

Distinctively known for their bloated heads and slightly disturbing faces, yet somehow endearing with their soft appearance and huggable form, if there’s one doll that could define the ‘80s, it would hands-down be the Cabbage Patch Kids as they were the ultimate definition of a fad and its extremities in the 1980s.

Created by artist Xavier Roberts, who used quilting skills learned from his mother as well as the more historic needle modeling technique, the first Cabbage Patch Kids were simply known as The Little People. Roberts originally sold his Little People dolls at art shows. Instead of handing over a set amount of cash, interested buyers only needed to pay an adoption fee for one of his carefully made dolls. As Roberts received positive reception for his handmade dolls, he moved his operations into a former clinic, dubbing the renewed facility as Babyland General Hospital, where even today curious travelers can watch Cabbage Patch Kids be taken care of by sale employees roleplaying as nurses and medical staff. One appealing point about the dolls was that they weren’t bought, but rather, adopted, and the adopter would have to take a vow to care and love their doll. It wasn’t until 1982 when Roberts reached a licensing deal with toy production company Coleco that the Little People dolls were rebranded as the dolls we know today: Cabbage Patch Kids.

From lawsuits involving artists of similar disciplines, cross-country riots at toy stores due to shortages, and even a prank by Milwaukeean radio hosts that led locals to believe Cabbage Patch Kids would be air-dropped, Cabbage Patch Kids may not be the biggest hit today, but in the eyes of collectors and those who grew up in the ’80s, the Cabbage Patch Kids certainly left their mark on their memories as well as in history.

In this guide, we not only list the original dolls that started it all but also the most looked for dolls on the market that collectors are eyeing. While not everyone is born with a trained eye for the finer details of Cabbage Patch Kids, for your convenience, we go into detail for how to generally determine your doll’s worth as well as how to identify the key traits that highly sought after dolls have.

Determining the Worth of Your Cabbage Patch Kid

Given the fact that over 30 million dolls were sold in the 1980s, it could be considered even a miracle that some dolls are worth thousands and thousands of dollars. Admittedly, the majority of dolls you can find today on auction websites actually cost the same amount of modern-day Cabbage Patch Kids: roughly $60 or in some cases, even less. So what makes a doll a prime target for collectors and how does one go about identifying these traits?

In determining whether or not you hit the gold mine with your old Cabbage Patch Kids, here are four basic pointers to keep in mind when examining your dolls:

1. Signature

Every authentic Cabbage Patch Kids comes with a Xavier Roberts signature, typically on the doll’s left butt cheek. In very rare instances, the signature may be on the right butt cheek or upside down. In addition to this signature, there is also a year printed—if there is no year, the color of the signature indicates the year.

1983 – Black

1984 – Green (exceptions are Preemies and Foreign kids as they had signatures in black ink this year)

1985 – Blue

1986 – Red

1987 – Aqua

1988 – Lavender

1989 – Rose

2. Body Tag

Body tags indicate where the doll was made, both factory and country-wise. This trait is especially useful for those who want to sell and prove the authenticity of dolls made overseas. In the situation your doll does not have a body tag or the body tag becomes unreadable due to wear and tear, another way to figure out the doll’s origins is checking the copyright notice on the back of the doll’s head. However, keep your eye out if you have a doll that is embroidered—dolls with embroidered body tags were among the first of the Coleco-released dolls and are considered extremely rare.

3. Condition

Just like with any collector’s item, such as baseball cards and action figures, the doll’s general condition is key. Even if you did have in possession a rare doll, it may not fetch for as much money compared to a doll in better, intact condition. When evaluating the condition of your dolls, it is important to assess the state of the doll’s vinyl head. Depending on the factory, the vinyl material of the head could be suspect to growing spots, having discoloration, or becoming sticky due to contact with moisture—the former most condition is known as pox in the Cabbage Patch Kids fandom. Be especially careful when handling and storing your older dolls as in some cases even the touch of a finger could trigger pox!

4. Domestic vs Overseas

As the popularity of the Cabbage Patch Kids took the US by a storm, the dolls would soon be produced in overseas factories to keep up with domestic demand and eventually be sold in other countries well. Given their more limited availability, dolls sold overseas not only had design/outfit changes but also had different adoption papers, making them an understandably hot item for diehard collectors.

Xavier Robert’s Little People Pre-Coleco Dolls

While technically they aren’t Cabbage Patch Kids, these dolls were the ones that began it all for Xavier Roberts and can be considered essentially as the prototypes of our favorite Cabbage Patch Kids dolls. Many of these dolls were created between 1976 and 1982 and were sold from the Babyland General Hospital upon Robert’s more formal conception of his company at around $40, which is about $107 presently when factoring in inflation. A prime distinctive trait for these dolls is that their heads, their bodies, and even their faces were made entirely from cloth, and they also had larger thumbs. Some were even hand-signed by Xavier Roberts himself, and these hand-signed ones sell for even more cash. Given their vintage status and history, these dolls are for the ultimate Cabbage Patch Kids collectors.

Like their successors, the Little People dolls all had custom names and birthdates with complementing adoption papers and birth certificates. Little People dolls with their original paperwork or that have been hand-signed by Roberts himself tend to be on the higher end of selling prices. Since each doll is distinct and unique in their own way, rather than trying to list out dolls by their names, we’re going to list them below by their type and the highest price they go for on popular auction websites such as eBay:

1. Little People Girl Doll

   

These girl dolls come in an array of hues in terms of eye and hair color. In terms of eyes, the Little People girl dolls have been seen with starting blue eyes to a softer hazel look. The hair is typically a yarn-like material, and hair colors have come in a range of bright red to mute brown. The most common hairstyles include pigtails, curls, and ponytails. In some cases, the hairs of the dolls are adorned with accessories such as bows. Another distinctive trait of a Little People girl doll is a dusty pink blush across the body. The highest-priced girl doll on eBay is at $3,500 and is a 1979 edition. For dolls younger by a few years, such as a 1981 Little People girl doll, the fetching price is lowered to around $2,800, though 1980 Little People girl dolls have also been listed at $1000.

2. Little People Boy Doll

Like their gal counterparts, the Little People boy dolls come with a similar range in eye-color and also had yarn-like hair, though their available hairstyles and hair colors vary differently. Some Little People boy dolls have scooped back hair or permed hair, and their hair colors were more on the tame side from deep to light brown as well as blonde. They typically came in shirt and jeans, though the shirts have varied, including a Little People logo-ed shirt. There is even a Little People boy doll dressed as a Confederate soldier circulating on eBay for about $790. If you own a Little People boy doll, keep in mind that offers are as high as $1,200.

3. Little People Babies

While Cabbage Patch Kids look closer to toddlers, the Little People had dolls that had a closer resemblance to babies. Fittingly, they were more on the bald end and came in vintage baby clothes. In terms of eye color, Little People baby dolls had deep brown, blue, and green shades. A Little People baby doll can net you as much as $800 depending on the doll’s condition and whether or not it has its original paperwork.

1983 Coleco Cabbage Patch Kids

With the deal reached between Roberts and toy manufacturer Coleco, 1983 was when the Cabbage Patch Kids really began to take off. Met with much fanfare at the International Toy Fair in New York, the Cabbage Patch Kids were featured on Newsweek and mass production of them shortly began after their large debut. Compared to their original $40 price tag, the Cabbage Patch Kids from 1983 only sold for $25, which is around $65 today when factoring in inflation.

Roughly 14 to 16 inches tall, these Cabbage Patch Kids were diverse in eye color, hairstyle, and outfit. They had cloth bodies but vinyl heads, and the quality of the vinyl often depended on the factory that produced them. It should be noted that for the 1983 Cabbage Patch Kids each one had a unique computer-generated name and birthday as well as matching adoption papers and birth certificate to boot. Many collectors often comment that it is rare if not impossible to find two dolls that look exactly the same.

As three million Cabbage Patch Kids were adopted by the end of 1983, figuring out which dolls can possibly rake in the most money may seem daunting. However, here are the top five types of Cabbage Patch Kids circulating the net and into the radars of newbie and veteran collectors alike:

1. Fall and Winter 1983 Original Cabbage Patch Kid

Why specifically fall and winter? The holiday season of 1983 saw the peak of the Cabbage Patch Kids craze as well as country-wide riots at toy stores for these highly coveted dolls. Folks waited for hours only to be turned away, and for some, this led to violence—many witnesses who lined up during those fateful days recall a stampeding, hair-grabbing frenzy that can only be matched with our present-day Black Friday. If somehow you managed to pick up a Cabbage Patch Kid doll during the Cabbage Patch riots of the 1983 holiday season and lived to tell the tale, you’re in luck—these dolls can be placed at quite a price, with one set of two dolls going for up to $11,750.

2. 1983 5th Anniversary Champagne Edition Cabbage Patch Twins

Released in celebration of the Cabbage Patch Kids’ 5th year anniversary, the Champagne Edition dolls were produced in limited quantity—only 2,000 such sets were made ready for adoption at the Babyland General Hospital. Decked in purple and bearing striking violet eyes, the full Champagne Edition set comes with both a girl and a boy doll. While they’re not produced by Coleco, they’re hand-signed by Xavier Roberts himself. Though considered more as a Little People doll as the Champagne Edition dolls were fully made of cloth, these twin dolls are still actively sought by hardcore Cabbage Patch Kids collectors and are set at a higher selling point, priced at $5,000.

3. 1983 Girl or Boy Cabbage Patch Kid

With the 1983 dolls, we see more diversity in terms of skin color and hair color. 1983 would see the release of black Cabbage Patch Kids and a wider range in the eye and hair color department. Compared to the original Little People, these Cabbage Patch Kids would have a blush on their vinyl cheeks but not on their bodies. The highest-priced girl Cabbage Patch Kid doll that is in good condition is roughly $7,000 on eBay while a boy Cabbage Patch Kid doll could potentially rake you $3,000.

4. 1983 Tsukuda Cabbage Patch Kid

As a Cabbage Patch Kid sold overseas, the Tsukuda dolls were specifically made and sold in Japan. Many collectors often comment on the lovely make for the Tsukuda dolls’ faces and their distinctive differences from other Cabbage Patch Kids, such as the butterfly patterns in the eye paint. While later Tsukuda dolls would come with special costumes and in special editions as well, the 1983 Tsukuda Cabbage Patch Kids resembled the ones sold in the US save for the Japanese print of the doll’s papers and the box. 1983 Tsukuda Cabbage Patch Kids with all parts intact and in mint condition can sell as high as $800 online.

1984 Cabbage Patch Kids

The popularity of the Cabbage Patch Kids would continue to rise well into 1984 and the dolls began to expand into a franchise including a video game and a record album. 1984 would specifically see the introduction of the Preemies, which were Cabbage Patch Kids who were slightly shorter than their 1983 counterparts as well as a Couture Kids line for Canada with Cabbage Patch Kids decked in fur coats. 1984 also saw a rise in foreign-produced Cabbage Patch Kids; these particular Cabbage Patch Kids had slight variations compared to the ones sold in the US, but the most notable ones were the ones produced in Spain’s Jesmar factory. Depending on the factory, the quality of the Cabbage Patch Kid’s vinyl head would differ.

The average sale price of your Cabbage Patch Kid produced from this year could range from $40 to $8,000 depending on the quality of your doll, whether or not it has its original paperwork, and whether or not it has been signed by Roberts. However, outside of these conditions, we found that these two types of dolls below tend to have a higher price range when auctioned off online:

1. 1984 Cabbage Patch Kid with Original Accessories

If you have sitting in your basement or attic not just a Cabbage Patch Kid but accessories such as a booster seat, baby book, and baby album, you’re in luck as this drives up the price of your Cabbage Patch Kid. Currently, a Cabbage Patch Kid with a full set of accompanying accessories can go up to $2,500 price-wise.

2. 1984 Jesmar Cabbage Patch Kid

Jesmar Cabbage Patch Kids were primarily produced in Spain’s Jesmar factory and were distributed to a multitude of countries in their respective languages, including but not limited to France, Denmark, Finland, and Germany. The majority of these Cabbage Patch Kids had freckles and in general, were taller than other Coleco Cabbage Patch Kids. Considered an overseas Cabbage Patch Kid, putting up one for auction can net you around $250.

James Dudley

This original doll from 1985, is now selling for $3,000 on eBay. James Dudley comes complete with blond hair and a red and blue shirt with the numbers 31 like a sports jersey. His blue eyes match his shirt and he wears blue and white shoes. He comes complete with official adoption papers that have never been open. It comes complete with the traditional green signature on the rear.

Barry Fritz

The doll was made before the Cabbage Patch Kid’s company began. The doll was designed and made by Xavier Robert himself, and hand-signed, but the owner was unsure if the clothes were original. Even still, 1979 originally sold for $1,500.

Adam Gregory

The vintage Adam Gregory Little People doll was recently auctioned for $600.00, not the most expensive doll on the list, but still noteworthy as this doll was sold with all the original clothing and accessories. The doll comes complete with a white hoodie, brown pants, and even has a diaper.

Teresa Ann

A red-haired, vintage green-eyed doll from 1985 has sold for more than $1 million after being listed for sale on the world wide web. She was sold in an original pink dress complete with a little bow. She has the same long, red hair similar to Raggedy-Anne, though a little thinner. Like other dolls, she comes complete with an adoption certificate and a signature.

Ann Greta

This red-haired cabbage patch doll was sold to a local contractor for $17 million after receiving 17 bids. The baby’s double red hair, green eyes, and pacifier are all very popular with the contractor’s crew. She was brought with her birth certificate and adoption papers, which add to the cost of the doll. The doll was not in a box but was listed as “owned by an adult collector” and has not been played with or otherwise used.

Little People Tilly Kay

This blonde doll is a predecessor of the Cabbage Patch Kids, but that doesn’t hurt her collector’s value at all. She comes with her original mint green outfit, shoes, and socks. Despite the mint condition, she does not come with any adoption papers. Still, she comes with a high valuation due to the coveted signature that this doll comes with on her tush.

Iddy Buds Ranny

This 1987 cabbage patch doll does not have a lot of hair on it, but this does not lessen its value one iddy bit. The doll, named Ranny, comes complete with its own bed and is a limited edition signed doll. She’s number 319 of 750 and is in crispy mint condition because she was stored in an airtight bin since purchase, according to the seller. She recently sold for $375.

Hannah Cindy Mossy Creek Edition

This 2006 cabbage patch kid may be newer than most high-priced, vintage cabbage patch kids, but her brunette pigtails and bright blue eyes are quite irresistible. She is part of the Mossy Creek Kids special edition and recently sold for $295, but only because she had a few stains on her clothes.

Mark Twain Set: Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn Becky Thatcher

Three dolls from 1986 are certainly better than one, especially when it includes three beloved Mark Twain characters transformed into soft doll form. The set includes birth certificates, adoption documents, and first birthday cards from the creators of the series, Xavier and Otis. The books have been stored in dust-cover bags for the past thirty years. The only thing missing from the collection is the fishing pole which belonged to Huckleberry Finn. These dolls recently sold at $200 at auction.

Vintage 1985 Yvonne Millie

In this picture, the baby girl is named Yvonne Mellie and has an unopened birth certificate. She has been in mint condition for a long time and has brought in close to $1,000. Even though her box is not of great quality, the fact that she was sold with it may have enabled her to command a higher price. She has thick, brown hair pulled back in a white bow and a white dress.

Felicia Francis- Little People Doll

Felicia Frances is an original cabbage patch kid from the collection of Xavier Roberts is a 1979 vintage doll from the Little People Collection. She has been kept in a doll cabinet for most of her life and is in such fine condition that she is both rare and valuable. She recently sold for$850. She has blond pigtails with blue bows that match her blue and white dress.

Andrew Blair-Little People Doll

The Andrew Blair is a rare original Little People Doll from 1979. Complete with an adoption certificate. It actually is designed to look like a doll that’s much older with a bald head and simple tie and suite. This isn’t one of the cutest cabbage patch dolls ever made, but the mint condition doll still sold for almost $700 at auction.

Roddy Cyrano- Little People Doll

The Roddy Cyrano 1985 Little People Doll is similar to the Andrew Blair. He isn’t the cutest looking doll and could inspire some nightmares among kids, but kept in a box with mint condition, this French look doll sold for $500 recently, despite being the box being slightly damaged. He has curly blond hair pulled back in a ponytail with a cute little French Brete. He also wears a pair of blue jean overalls and the signature blue and white shoes that seem to come with every cabbage patch doll.

Vintage CPK Twin Girls from Tsukuda Japan

Mint condition Cabbage Patch Kids from Japan are almost impossible to find. Finding the original set of twins even more so from 1985 and could sell for as much at $465. They each come with their own pacifier, their own set of diapers, the brown hair pulled back into white bows. They wear red dress marked with TWINS in gold spiraling letters with white boots. They both have matching blue eyes. Like every traditional cabbage patch doll, they each have their own names and adoption certification.

Jesmar CPK Doll

This is a special doll made by the Jesmar Toy Company. The toy became popular overseas, and the company needed a supplier, so Jesmar Toy Company stepped up to help make the demand for Spain, Italy and West Germany in the 1980s. The Jesmar doll was one of their signature dolls during the highlight of the cabbage patch kid crazy.

Stephanie Vivian- Little People Doll

This original Little People doll originally sold for $259 on eBay, despite being incredibly simple. She had blonde, braided pigtails and a baby pink dress. She came with no shoes. She sold for less than $300, but that is because it didn’t come with a box, but she did have her original adoption papers!

Fraternal Twins Irish Edition

The next Cabbage Patch Kids to make it onto our list of most valuable is a pair of twin dolls. On eBay, the dolls are sold without the package and still sale for $750. The dolls come with their adoption letters and birth certificates. The twin dolls are also unique because of their Irish connection where they were popular.

Maureen Miriam

Maureen Miriam is a 1978 cabbage patch doll that was made at BabyLand General Hospital in New York City. She was sold by an Etsy seller who claims that all of her clothes are original, except for her pacifier. The doll didn’t have a box to go with it, but it was still considered mint condition with her original certification, which is why she only brought in $350.

Southern Belle Georgiana

Georgiana is a 1986 cabbage patch kid doll from the Southern Belle series of dolls. This African American Georgiana doll has long pigtail braids and is dressed in her original pink, southern bell dress. She comes complete with black braided pigtails tied with matching pink ribbon and white socks and booties. Her accessories include a white umbrella, cigar, and pacifier. She is another doll being sold through Etsy for $249.

Boyce Lorenzo

A 1968 vintage original Cabbage Patch Kids Preemie baby boy named Boyce Lorenzo, recently sold for $200 on Etsy. this one is a precious, emerald green-eyed cabbie baby boy collectible from a short-lived line. He comes wearing a cute, classic baby blue and white jumper with a matching white cap, tennis shoes, and socks. He is smiling sweetly, with full lips, full blushed cheeks, and a cute little dimple on his chin. His head is covered with wavy blond hair, which is pinned up by a white cap. Boyce Lorenzo comes with his original diaper and Cabbage Patch Kids Preemie tag wrapped around his wrist. This doll was sold in mint condition, still attached to the cardboard box he originally came with.

Elizabeth Justinn

1985 Cabbage Patch Kids Preemie Elizabeth Justinn sold for $220 on Etsy. Elizabeth Justinn is a Cabbage Patch Kids original and is new in her box and comes with a birth certificate signed by the Cabbage Patch Kids creator Xavier Roberts. She has the beautiful and royal name Elizabeth Justinn; it means “fair, upright” in the Latin; and there is another spelling of Justine. She is dressed in a pale pink gown and a long white bonnet trimmed with white lace and adorned with white ribbons and white crochet booties, Elizabeth Justinn smiles with charming little dimples on her cheeks and looks like she was ready for a baby girl’s christening. She was wearing her original diaper and comes with a Cabbage Patch Kids Preemie tag wrapped around her wrist.

 Designer Line Cabbage Patch Kid

This 1989 doll is part of the Designer Line children’s line that appeared while Coleco and Hasbro were in a quick transition period. The dolls produced under this line had a “P” factory tag on them, which means they were made by the Perfecta factory. After the company’s name was changed to Coleco, it stopped making Cabbage Patch Kids altogether. This blonde doll has wild pigtails and comes dressed in her original clothes; aside from a few snags in her clothes and body, she is in fine condition. She recently sold for $200 on eBay in mint condition but had no name attached to her box.

Cabbage Patch Kids Vintage Kids

The Cabbage Patch Kids 35th Anniversary Edition Vintage Kids are a must-have! The special, 14-inch kids feature the style and love of the original line. The vintage collection includes cute retro clothes and the original Cabbage Patch Kids yarn hairstyles. These vintage children have the same style and affection as their parents did. Their hair is styled in a cute, feminine manner, with a few pink bows, and they are dressed in a pink dress, with a pink bootie on their feet. They also have pink earrings, like those worn by the fashion-conscious teens of the ’80s.

Damara Mada

The 1985 doll is dressed in a white suit with an orange flower print and lace on her legs. She is wearing a white knit sweater with pink trim around the top of the sweater. She has blond hair, with a white ribbon in it, and blue eyes. She is wearing white knit boots, and she is wearing a white hat. She has a Cabbage Patch Kids tag on her left arm. The papers, including her birth certificate, were placed in a pink envelope with green writing on the right-hand side. The doll’s outfit is a one-piece with flowers and has a Cabbage Patch Kids logo sewn onto the right thigh opening. This doll sold for a couple hundred on rubylane despite being a simple design and even including the fact the box was slightly damaged.

Quincy Chandler

Quincy Chandler is a vintage 1985 Cabbage Patch Kids preemie baby that recently sold on eBay for $199.99. This adorable brown-eyed baby was bad but came with a cute little cap to cover their heads. They were dressed in a pink onesie outfit and come accessorized with a matching pink pacifier, pink socks, and booties. Cute, yellow bunny ears adorn the onesie underneath the pacifier.