Most Valuable Bobbleheads: Top Collectible Dolls and Their Prices

Most bobbleheads carry sentimental value, but a few extremely rare examples have sold for thousands of dollars at auction. These high-priced nodders are typically very old and in exceptional condition. If you recognize one of these from your collection, take steps to preserve it—your bobblehead might be worth more than you think.

Below are the 30 most expensive bobbleheads ever sold, ranked by their final selling prices.

30. 1964 Paul McCartney and George Harrison

Value: $2,555

These 16-inch Beatles dolls were sold individually but share this tied position because they fetched the same price at auction. They sold on eBay in April 2014 and, while valuable, were outpriced by another Beatles bobblehead on this list.

29. 1964 John Lennon

Value: $2,575

This 16-inch John Lennon nodder sold in April 2014 for slightly more than the Paul McCartney and George Harrison dolls. Ringo Starr did not make this list.

28. Dick Tracy

Value: $2,664

This rare Dick Tracy nodder sold at auction in June 2011. John Brey of Nodder Exchange began the bidding at $750 and the near‑mint doll ultimately sold for nearly four times that amount.

27. Chief Justice William Rehnquist

Value: $2,799

Part of a 2002 Supreme Court series from the Green Bag Journal of Law, this Rehnquist nodder sold on eBay in December 2013.

26. Mike Rowe and Freddy

Value: $3,050

The former Dirty Jobs host autographed this special edition doll, which includes his dog Freddy and speaks 33 recorded “Roweisms.” It sold on eBay in May 2015.

25. Boston Patriots AFL Nodder

Value: $3,327.50

One of seven AFL team nodders released, this Patriots piece is very rare. It sold via Nodder Exchange for more than four times the original $750 listing price.

24. Wolf Man

Value: $3,382.07

The Wolf Man nodder, inspired by the 1941 film, is an ultra-rare piece that sold at auction in July 2008.

23. Los Angeles Dodgers

Value: $3,424

This “Weirdo” Dodgers nodder—one of seven variants—was sold in near-mint condition and fetched more than four times the original $750 listing.

22. Minnesota Twins White Base

Value: $3,543

Described as one of the rarest baseball nodders, this gem-condition Twins piece sold for nearly five times its original $750 auction listing.

21. New York Rangers Mini

Value: $3,630

Released in 1990, this mini Rangers nodder features an NYR sticker on its jersey and sold in near-mint condition in July 2011 for more than seven times its $500 opening bid.

20. Phantom of the Opera

Value: $3,652

This 7-inch nodder is the shortest on the list, making it especially valuable inch-for-inch. In excellent condition with minor chipping, it sold on eBay in April 2015.

19. Denver Broncos Toes Up

Value: $3,960

Sold in January 2010, this Broncos nodder commanded more than five times the original $750 listing. Its rarity and gem condition drove the high price.

18. William Shatner Priceline Bobblehead

Value: $4,100

Listed by William Shatner himself, this Priceline-themed nodder shows him behind the wheel and includes his signature, adding collectible value. It sold on eBay for a notable sum.

17. JFK–Jackie O Kissers

Value: $4,180

This motorized JFK and Jackie Onassis pair sold as a set in mint condition in April 2016. The dolls sold for nearly six times the initial asking price.

16. Frankenstein

Value: $4,538.71

Called one of the rarest bobbleheads by its seller, this Frankenstein nodder sold in August 2012 after opening at $1,000 and finishing for more than four times that amount.

15. Mr. Magoo

Value: $4,500

One of only a handful of Magoo nodders known to exist, this mint-condition piece sold in June 2014. The very limited supply contributes to its rarity.

14. Houston Colt .45 Black Player

Value: $5,325

Considered one of the rarest baseball nodders, this Houston Colt .45s black‑faced player was in its original box and in gem condition when it sold.

13. Montreal Canadiens Blinker

Value: $5,561

Possibly the only example known, this blinker-style Montreal Canadiens nodder is the most valuable hockey bobblehead recorded. It sold in August 2010 for more than five times its $1,000 listing.

12. New York Yankees Black Bobblehead

Value: $5,846.15

This controversial black‑faced Yankees nodder, still in its original packaging and in near‑mint condition, sold for more than seven times its $800 asking price due to its extreme rarity.

11. Penn State Nittany Lions Prototype

Value: $7,035

This 2007 prototype of a lion nodder—complete with a cigar—was one of only three team variants made (Penn State, Cal, Stanford). It sold in February 2014 for nearly ten times its $750 opening bid.

10. Popeye the Sailor Man Nodder

Value: $7,405

Described as “perhaps the rarest doll there is,” this Popeye nodder sold in gem condition and was said to be 98 percent original, with minor flaws only visible under black light.

9. 1960 Philadelphia Eagles Promo

Value: $10,443

Part of a standout group of 1960s NFL nodders, this Eagles promo sold in gem condition. The auction began at $2,500 and finished for more than four times that amount.

8. 1960s 13-Inch Los Angeles Rams Bobblehead

Value: $12,101

One of the highest-priced nodders sold on eBay, this 13-inch Rams piece from the 1960s was in exceptional condition and sold in January 2015.

7. 1960s Baltimore Colts Promo

Value: $14,300

Sold in gem condition in January 2016, this ultra-rare Colts promo nodder opened at $2,500 and finished at nearly seven times that opening bid.

6. 1960s Washington Redskins Bobblehead

Value: $15,125

Found in a seller’s parents’ attic in gem condition, this 1960s Redskins nodder was listed at $3,500 and sold for more than four times that in August 2008.

5. 1960s Chicago Bears Bobblehead

Value: $15,629

This near-mint Bears nodder was one of only a handful known to exist. It sold after an intense bidding period that began at $2,500 and ended with a final price more than five times that opening amount.

4. 1960s San Francisco 49ers Promo

Value: $19,684

Sold in August 2015 in super‑gem condition, this rare 49ers promo is one of only a few examples that have reached five figures at auction.

3. 1960s Green Bay Packers Nodder

Value: $34,557

Auctioned in November 2014 after opening at $2,500, this Packers nodder fetched the third-highest price of any bobblehead. Only a handful of each team’s nodders were made in the 1960s, and this was in gem condition.

2. Chinese Plaster Figurines

Value: $35,925

These oversized 19th-century plaster nodders—a Mandarin man and his wife—were sold at Christie’s in May 2010. Measuring about 15.75 inches and mounted on simulated marble wood bases, they are nodding-head figurines rather than modern plastic bobbleheads, and their age and rarity contributed to a high price.

1. 1961 New York Yankees Bobblehead

Value: $59,750

The most valuable bobblehead ever sold is a 1961 New York Yankees promo. This mint-condition piece was reportedly one of only two known to exist and set the record with a sale of $59,750. Like many top-selling nodders, its rarity and pristine condition drove the extraordinary final price.

These examples show how rarity, condition, provenance, and unique features (motorization, signatures, prototypes, or promotional origins) can dramatically influence a bobblehead’s value. If you own an older nodder in excellent condition, consider getting it professionally evaluated and preserved to protect potential value.