Moral Conundrum

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

Yesterday my sister gave my daughters some hand me down dolls from her daughters. She just gave me a bag with 9 Barbie dolls. She watched the girls go through them and divy them up. She knew what was there.

I was curious though, and today looked them up. Several of them appear to be fairly valuable. They are not in boxes, so not terribly pricey, but one seems to be pretty rare. My daughters want to save them for "years". DD1 already carefully sealed them in plastic bags saying she would save them until it was time for her to go to college, "by then they will be older and even more valuable".

What is my obligation to my sister?

 

[Cetawin]

You have no obligation ... the value of Barbie dolls drops drastically the minute they are removed from the box. They have been played with and are now like any other doll really. She gave the girls a bag of dolls, let them play with them or do as they wish with them.

 

[Eggs4Sale]

Agreed.

She knew everything has some value, little to great, and could have chosen to look.
Every penny you are given has the chance to be worth a lot, but would you have handed her the penny back?

 

[Pumpkinpup]

I agree. She gave them to the girls as a gift so they can choose to do as they wish with them.

 

[michickenwrangler]

I was mad at my mother for selling all my original my little ponies from the early 1980s after hearing rumors that they were selling for hundreds on eBay. I've been on eBay and my well-used but still in good shape ponies would have gone for about $5-25 apiece. My biggest regret now is that she sold them, and now my 5 yr old daughter doesn't have them to play with. BTW, Mom sold Cotton Candy, Twilight & the rest at a garage sale for a buck or two apiece. My life still goes on.

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

One of the Barbies is a 1991 Spanish Matador Barbie which was discontinued because animal rights activists objected to it. You are right that they are in some ways valueless since they are out of the box and played with, but they still seem to be of interest to some. Has anyone ever heard of this one?

 

[savingdogs]

Yes, I remember hearing people were buying them up just because they thought they would have value later on because of short supply.

I don't know the actual value of these dolls, but as far as your moral dilemma, why don't you just tell your sister that you are thinking of selling or saving that particular one as you have discovered it might have more value and/or interest to someone.

If she seems upset that she lost out on something you could offer her half. Or you could subtly suggest what a lovely gift this is for your kids that she has made, can you just make sure it goes to some good purpose for them such as towards college fund, needed items, or something she would like them to have and not just candy or a different toy.

That is, if they turn out to have any value. I think the condition has alot of bearing on the value.

That is my two cents.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Do not offer her half. Either say, "this doll appears really valuable--are you sure you want to include it, or can I give it back to you--it seem like too expensive a present" or keep your mouth shut. If and when your daughters decide to sell the doll, then you again get to decide whether to tell her or not and to offer the doll back or not. Offering half is chintzy.

 

[teach1rusl]

You are under NO obligation to offer your sister anything legally. However, if you care for your sister and wish to consider her feelings/interests, I would simply tell her that you suspect one or two of the dolls might some day be worth a little money, as ask if she's sure she's okay with giving them up. Assuming your sister is not struggling financially, she will most likely say something like "well if you can get something from those old dolls, then have at it!" I guess morally, that's what I would do in that situation.

 

[Cara]

Researching the value of a gift seems even chintzier to me.