Barbie debuted at New York's American International Toy Fair on March 9, 1959. First year sales topped 300,000 for the original $3 doll. Today, a mint condition 1959 Barbie is worth $27,450. Ruth Handler, the free-spirited woman who created Barbie, faced strong opposition to Barbie from within her own company. Barbie was originally modeled on a German doll marketed as an adult sex toy. Still, Mattel made a risky, unprecedented bet by heavily advertising on television shows like "The Mickey Mouse Club."