If you collect Cabbage Patch Kids, you’ll probably know that most dolls have a signature printed on one of the butt cheeks.

This is the signature of the creator, Xavier Roberts, and over the years the colour of that signature has changed quite a bit.

Collectors often use this as a quick way to estimate roughly when a doll was made.

It’s not a perfect system — there are always exceptions — but it’s one of the easiest ways to narrow things down.

Where to Look

On most dolls the signature sits on one of the buttocks.

Earlier dolls tend to have a slightly more handwritten style, while later ones often include a printed year alongside the signature.

When trying to work out when a doll was produced, collectors usually look at three things:

• the colour of the signature

• whether a year is printed beside it

• which company was making the dolls at the time

Put those together and you can normally get fairly close to the production period.

Coleco Era (1983–1989)

The dolls most people recognise come from the Coleco years in the 1980s.

Typical signature colours from that period are:

A few variations exist. For example, some 1985 dolls were produced with black signatures rather than blue.

Hasbro Era (1990–1994)

Production moved to Hasbro in the early 1990s.

Signature colours during this period generally followed this pattern:

These dolls usually include a printed year next to the signature.

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Mattel Era (1995–2001)

During the mid-90s the dolls were produced by Mattel.

Typical colours from this period include:

The 1998 15th anniversary dolls are easy to spot because they used a black signature.

 

Toys “R” Us Era (2001–2004)

Production then passed to Toys R Us.

Colours seen during this period include:

Some dolls from this time also have distinctive gold side tags.

Play Along Era (2004–2009)

When Play Along Toys took over production, the colour sequence briefly returned to something very similar to the original 1980s pattern.

Typical colours include:

Because the colours repeat earlier years, other features are usually needed to confirm the age.

Later Manufacturers

Production later passed to companies including:

• JAKKS Pacific

• Wicked Cool Toys

• Jazwares

Signature colours continued to change, but by this point collectors usually rely on several other details as well.

A Quick Word of Caution

The signature colour is a helpful guide, but it’s not the only thing to look at.

Collectors also check things like:

• head mould numbers

• factory codes

• clothing

• hang tags and labels

• packaging

Put together, those details give a much clearer picture of when a doll was produced.

If you are considering selling a collection, feel free to get in touch. We regularly buy vintage dolls, toys and other collectibles, and we’re always happy to take a look.