To an Antique Dealer... $200 maybe. To a Child.... Priceless!

The Barbie Dream Townhouse.... three stories and an elevator! It was, without a doubt, my favorite childhood toy. I remember many afternoons of pretend playing Barbies. And then, somewhere along the way, I outgrew dollhouses and it was packed away where my parents stored it for years. And then, in my adulthood they moved to a new home and passed on to each of us those beloved toys they'd been storing. The Dreamhouse was then stored away in a box for years... And then, we moved and it was rediscovered.

And that is when the ultimate question came: How much is it worth on eBay? It didn't take long to realize that Barbie Dreamhouses of that era and condition were selling for $100-300 each. But, let's face it, I wasn't going to sell it. Too many good memories. And too many daughters of my own who would cherish it. The question: Sell it for a few bucks (yes, I say a "few" because I'm skeptical that I'd actually get the going rate), or, perhaps I've seen Toy Story too many times... I could watch my girls light up as they enjoy what was once my favorite toy.

This weekend, I took it out of the box, cleaned it up, and put it together. The elevator (with its super-sophisticated string action technology) still worked perfectly! The girls have been enjoying it around the clock (though they were really puzzled by the rotary dial telephone and record player), and they think it's really cool that they're enjoying a toy I enjoyed. We've been playing with it together.... that experience? Priceless.

To me, the real value in a toy isn't monetary - it's the joy, creativity, and memories it brings to a child. I think Woody and Buzz are calling my name...