Matthew Keith has been collecting Barbie dolls since the 1970s. Today, his collection is worth around $20,000 and he has over 70,000 followers on his Instagram account, "DollsOnTheBrain."
Keith's hobby has become much more popular recently, thanks to the upcoming release of the "Barbie" movie. Thrift stores are seeing a surge in sales of vintage Barbie dolls, prices in the collectibles market have soared, and appraisers are being flooded with calls from new collectors.
Not all longtime collectors are happy about the recent interest in Barbie collecting. Some have complained that they are being priced out by wealthy new buyers.
Despite the rising prices, Keith is optimistic about the future of Barbie collecting. He believes that the movie will help to normalize Barbie collecting for adults and that it will bring in a new generation of collectors.