Sunday, June 28, 2020

Thursday, June 18, 2020

And then there were Pink Stamps, part two

There three Pink Stamp coupon booklets in 1991, numbers 0007 1031, 1032 and 1033.  Membership was again $2.  The insides of the booklet, with the enrollment form, are identical for all three.  However, the outsides have slightly different messages with the different stock numbers.
You could join the Pink Stamp Club through June 30, 1991.

Booklet 1031 came with least expensive outfits and had only one Pink Stamp.

Mid-priced Barbie and family outfits came with booklet 1032 and two Pink Stamps.

The most expensive outfits, such as the Private Collection series,
had booklet 1033 and three Pink Stamps.

The back of the packaging for the 1991 outfits
did not show the clothes in that line;
rather, it had a Pink Stamp enrollment form.

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

And then there were Pink Stamps, part one

The big Barbie fad in 1990 and 1991 was the Pink Stamp Club.  Barbie and family outfits had one or more Pink Stamps on the the packaging which could be accumulated and redeemed for Barbie-themed merchandise.  The most popular item was, of course, the Barbie television set.  My first post will just focus on 1990.
There were two booklets for that year, one unnumbered and another numbered 0007 1032.  Otherwise the booklets were identical.



Although the TV set was the most popular item,
the one I should have purchased was the coat exclusive to the Pink Stamp Club.
It was a revised version of 1988 Private Collection 4509 white fur coat.

The Fashion Fun Guide, a small but thick magazine,
was the best part of the Pink Stamp Club membership.
The pink coat was featured in one of the pages of the first Fashion Fun Guide.

Even though I lived on top of a hill in a city,
the analog pink Barbie television never had good reception.

Thursday, June 11, 2020

Barbie fan club forms in the 1990s

The last year of the 20th century for the Barbie fan club membership was in 1991.  The price dropped since the number of magazine issues dropped from 10 to four a year.  The cost was now $7.47.
However, in 1998 a different sort of club was formed for adult collectors.  Some of commemorative dolls were sold through mail order as were a few exclusive outfits.  I am showing you the mail order form that I received.
The last Barbie fan club form was in 1991

All that was included with the 1990s Barbie fan club
was a magazine subscription.

The front of the mail order form for the 1998 Barbie Collector Club
showed some of the dolls for sale.

A Barbie fan club for adults!  How cool!

Two different forms to fill out during the 1980s

In addition to the fan club information in the booklets for 1985, you could also send away for a free outfit.  Note that the Madison Heights, Mich., address was the same as for the 1983 and 1984 membership forms.

In 1987, you could order a promotional item for your Shimmeron Spectra dolls.  It was a travel kit that included a map, jewelry and a pink star for $1.  The mailing address was for Blair, Nebraska, where many mail order redemption offers from numerous were sent.
If I remember correctly, the outfit sent was a My First Fashion.

If the Shimmeron Travel Kit was free, why did you have to send $1?!!!

Tuesday, June 9, 2020

Barbie fan club forms 1985 to 1989

These are the forms used for the Barbie fan club for the years 1985 to 1989.  The membership is basically a subscription to the new Barbie, The Magazine for Girls, plus some added items, usually decals.  Notice that the price keeps going up!
1985 flier back
with information for Patterson, NY

1985 flier front.
$5 for a magazine subscription.

The 1986 form is from the clothing booklet.
Send $6 to Patterson for a subscription.

1987 form,
from the clothing booklet,
$6.  Now the mailing address is in
Des Moines!

1988 flier form to be sent to Des Moines.

1988 flier, $7 for a subscription.


The later 1989 forms look like the earlier ones on the outside.

However, the later 1989 forms had the price for the subscription jumping to $9.45!

1989 forms were still sent to Des Moines.  This is the earlier version cover.
The early 1989 forms said the subscription cost $7.50.

Barbie fan club information 1981-1984

The first Barbie fan club form for the 1980s was printed in 1981
and good until December 1983.   Cost was $5, and the address was in New York City.  It is printed in purple.
The Barbie Fan Club started up again in 1981 and continued in one form or another until the late 1990s.  I don't know if one exists today.  This blog post is going to cover the years 1981 to 1984.
The second 1980s fan club form was also printed in 1981
but was good until March 1984.
Cost was still $5, mailed to NYC, and members received the same merchandise as the previous year.
The form is printed in black and white.


The 1983 booklet listed what was available for that year,
including a sun visor, for $5.




The Barbie fan club mailing address for 1983 was in Madison Heights, Mich.
The form expired in December 1984. 
A very different sort of form was used in 1984.
It was a separate sheet printed on matte paper.
Cost was $5 and the form expired in January 1985.
Obviously, you're supposed to answer "yes" to all the questions!  Send the form to Madison Heights, Mich.

Sunday, June 7, 2020

The 1970s--fan clubs and promotional items

The last year for a Barbie fan club membership for more than a decade was in 1971.  However, included with the Osmonds dolls and clothing in 1977 and 1978 were a membership form for the group's fan club.
Although you continued to receive Barbie magazine up through 1971, the other items kept varying.  I wonder what you might have received had you filled out the form after 1971?  No expiration date is ever mentioned on the forms.
After 1971, Mattel offered promotional items in conjunction with its various lines of dolls.  A form came with the 1975 Gold Medal dolls in which you could send away for a record book, shield and medal.  I don't know if these were human size or Barbie size!  Cost was $1, and the offer lasted until June 30, 1977.
Instead of Barbie fan club items you could send away for Olympics memorabilia in 1975.
The charm bracelet from 1970 continued to be offered with the 1971 Barbie fan club.

Since time passed much more slowly when you were a girl,
I wonder how many years it seemed like before you got your membership and magazine?

There was no fee to join the Donny and Marie Osmond Fan Club in 1977!

Barbie fan club information from 1970

Mattel offered a Barbie fan club up through 1971.  There wouldn't be one again until the 1980s.  What came with the 1970 membership varied depending upon which booklet you read.
The earliest 1970 booklets were tan with only Living Barbie on the cover.  A separate sheet included information about the fan club.  The cost went up to $2 and included the magazine subscription, the outfit Salute to Silver and the family portrait.

I wrote this on June 2, and now, Nov. 2, I have an update.  I found a copy of the picture and certificate that you got with your membership at an antique show yesterday.  The papers were only $3, and I was thrilled to find them!  I've seen the picture only once before, and that was on my cousin's bedroom door in the early 1970s.  I don't know why I remember that, but I was envious of her for having it.

The original owner of this certificate
never filled out her charter membership card.

Note that Barbie is a brunette in this fan club picture!


In 1969, outfit #1885 was called Silver Sparkle and in 1970 it was renamed Salute to Silver.
Yet a different address for the membership,
which cost $2.
There were two separate membership forms in the pink booklets, which showed both Living Barbie and Living Skipper on the covers.
The second fan club membership form from 1970
advertised seven issues of the magazine instead of six.
Salute to Silver was not included.

The back of the second 1970 membership form.



The third membership form for 1970 mentioned the gold bracelet is now included.
The price for a foreign subscription went up to $2.60.
This was the third membership form for 1970.

Barbie fan club information 1965-1969

Here are pictures of the fan club forms for the Barbie club from 1965 to 1969.  These were all from the backs of the clothing booklets.
A membership in 1965 cost $1.

The 1966 membership is still $1.
Note that the mailing address has been changed.

The 1967 membership is still $1
but the other items in addition to the magazines are not mentioned.
Were they discontinued?

In 1968, an American membership continues to be $1
and the foreign subscriptions $1.50

The membership form from the unnumbered booklet of 1969

The membership form from booklet 101 of 1969.