For serious collectors of Cabbage Patch Kids, the most desirable dolls are usually the earliest 1978–1982 Cabbage Patch Kids.
These early vintage Cabbage Patch Kids dolls represent the beginning of the entire phenomenon and are often referred to by collectors as Little People Cabbage Patch Kids.
If you are researching vintage Cabbage Patch Kids, 1978 Cabbage Patch Kids, 1979 Cabbage Patch Kids, 1980 Cabbage Patch Kids, 1981 Cabbage Patch Kids, and 1982 Cabbage Patch Kids are among the most important dolls ever produced.
The story of Cabbage Patch Kids begins with Xavier Roberts, who began selling handmade dolls through Original Appalachian Artworks in the late 1970s. These early 1978–1982 Cabbage Patch Kids dolls were handmade soft sculpture dolls with fabric bodies, sculpted faces, yarn hair, and hand-stitched details. Many 1978–1982 Cabbage Patch Kids also came with adoption papers and birth certificates, reinforcing the idea that each Cabbage Patch Kid was unique.
Among the earliest licensed manufacturers of Cabbage Patch Kids dolls were the highly collectible Jesmar Cabbage Patch Kids produced by Jesmar. Jesmar Cabbage Patch Kids were produced in Spain in the early 1980s and are often considered some of the rarest and most valuable vintage Cabbage Patch Kids today.
Many collectors specifically search for Jesmar Cabbage Patch Kids dolls because they were produced in smaller numbers and have distinctive features compared with later mass-produced dolls. As a result, Jesmar Cabbage Patch Kids can command some of the highest prices in the Cabbage Patch Kids collecting market, particularly when complete with original clothing and adoption papers.
Shortly after the earliest Jesmar Cabbage Patch Kids and handmade Little People Cabbage Patch Kids, the brand exploded in popularity during the famous Cabbage Patch Kids craze of 1983. This led to large-scale retail production of Cabbage Patch Kids dolls by Coleco. Coleco Cabbage Patch Kids became one of the most successful toy lines of the 1980s and introduced millions of people to Cabbage Patch Kids.
Over time, several other toy companies produced Cabbage Patch Kids dolls. These included Hasbro, which manufactured Hasbro Cabbage Patch Kids after Coleco, and later Mattel, which also produced its own versions of Mattel Cabbage Patch Kids dolls. In the 2000s, production continued through Play Along Toys and more recently Wicked Cool Toys.
Despite the many companies that have produced Cabbage Patch Kids dolls, collectors consistently focus on the earliest dolls when searching for valuable vintage Cabbage Patch Kids. 1978–1982 Cabbage Patch Kids, especially handmade Little People Cabbage Patch Kids and rare Jesmar Cabbage Patch Kids, remain some of the most desirable dolls in the hobby.
Collectors today actively search for vintage Cabbage Patch Kids, original Cabbage Patch Kids, Jesmar Cabbage Patch Kids, and 1978–1982 Cabbage Patch Kids dolls because these represent the earliest chapter in the history of Cabbage Patch Kids. Whether you are buying, selling, or collecting Cabbage Patch Kids, understanding the importance of Jesmar Cabbage Patch Kids, Little People Cabbage Patch Kids, and early 1978–1982 Cabbage Patch Kids can make a huge difference when identifying rare and valuable vintage Cabbage Patch Kids dolls.