Rare 1970 dolls of The Monkees kept in a Willenhall loft and bought for pennies now worth hundreds of pounds
Four tiny plastic dolls of The Monkees bought for pennies in 1970 for a ten year-old girl who now lives in Willenhall are set to sell for more than £1,000.
The 4inch-tall Show Biz Babies’ models of the group were given to Mary Hegarty by her older brother on her 10th birthday in 1970.
Mary never opened the toys and kept them in mint condition in their original boxes. The 64-year-old, from Willenhall, West Midlands, said: “I was a huge fan of The Monkees. My sister and I watched the TV show every Saturday morning. I used to shout at the screen telling Micky Dolenz how much I loved him, how embarrassing.
“My sister loved Davy Jones because he was the heartthrob. Apparently I wrote to The Monkees’ fan club asking Micky to marry me when I grew up. I also wrote his name in ink on my hand and pretended it was a tattoo. I’ve taken them from every house or flat I have ever lived in but now they are currently kept in the loft.”
The ‘60s pop stars are best known for songs (Theme From) The Monkees and I’m A Believer.
Band member Davy Jones died in 2012, followed by Peter Tork in 2019 and Michael Nesmith who passed away in 2021.
The only surviving member of the band is Micky Dolenz, 80, who lives in LA.
The dolls are expected to fetch up to £1,200 but could sell for far more when they go under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers’ next month.
Toy expert David Wilson-Turner said: “Complete or carded Show Biz Babies’ dolls of the Monkees are much scarcer than many other 1960s licensed toys.
“The production run was comparatively short, from 1966-1967 before Hasbro discontinued it, meaning carded and unopened examples like these hardly ever come to market.
“With their flexi records and small size, they have a distinct nostalgic 1960s appeal today.”
The four-piece set was part of a series of small collectible dolls produced by Hasbro from 1967–1968.
With vinyl heads, they were jointed only at the neck, not fully articulated like later action figures.
Each came on a backing card, with a psychedelic 1960s design art and an image or photo of the real artist on the back, often with a facsimile autograph.
They also included a flexi-disc (33⅓ RPM) – thin flexible record tucked into the packaging with facts about the artist.
David added: “The dolls were timed to coincide with The Monkees’ peak popularity on TV - their show aired from 1966–1968 – as well as their multiple hit singles.
“Today, for the Baby Boomer, they scream nostalgia.”
The Monkees was the first band specifically created for a TV show, with each member answering a newspaper ad in 1965 for an NBC sitcom.
The show debuted in 1966 and depicted the band’s comedic adventures heavily based on the Beatles’ film A Hard Day’s Night.
But despite their non musical roots, they went on to become a real, highly successful band, even outselling The Beatles in 1967.
Hits included I’m a Believer, Daydream Believer and Last Train to Clarksville.
Mary continued: “I am more of a teddy person than a doll one, which might explain why they were unopened.
“It’s time now for them to go to someone who will appreciate them more.”
The dolls will be sold at Hansons’ saleroom in Etwall, Derbys., on January 22.
