GUEST: This doll belonged to my mother. I think she got it when she was a young teenager. Growing up, it was in my grandparents' attic. And every once in a while when we were visiting, we'd go up there, she'd take it out of the chest it was in. We'd look at it, we'd put it back in the chest. That's why it's still in the original box. Then, when my mom died in 2000, I took possession of it. I told my brothers and sisters, "I'll get it appraised," and 21 years later, I'm finally getting it appraised.
APPRAISER: (both laugh) So you have your Jackie Robinson doll. He's a composition doll. And he came with his original box, which we rarely see. He was the first African American player in Major League Baseball, and he really was a history-making person. He really believed in civil rights, and he really went through a lot of hard times to be that first Black player. He started in the league in 1947, this doll was made in 1950, and at that time, there were not a lot of Black dolls, especially Black portrait dolls. This doll was made by the Allied Grand Toy Company, and he has on his original Dodgers uniform and he has his hat.
GUEST: (Chuckles)
APPRAISER: Hats and shoes are usually the first things to go on dolls. And he even has his original hang tag, which is in very good condition. With the set, you got the baseball bat and the two little brochures. But how did you get this program?
GUEST: I think that was from a game my mom went to back in 1955, and they just got Jackie Robinson's signature, I guess, at the game.
APPRAISER: I did check with one of our colleagues that specializes in sports autographs, and he did indeed sign this. He is in pretty good condition considering his original storage. He does have a little crazing.
GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: On today's market, an auction value on your doll would be around $1,000 to $1,500.
GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: And then the program, it is worth $1,500.
GUEST: Oh! That's great.
APPRAISER: So your total value is around $3,000.
GUEST: That's awesome.
