'Barbie' Movie Giving Iconic Dolls Big Boost in Resale Value

Everyone's seeing pink as "Barbie" takes over theaters, but collectors and resellers of the famed dolls are thinking green ... according to a man who collects toys for a living.

Pop culture expert and collector Joel Magee -- a frequent guest on "Pawn Stars" -- tells us the interest in Mattel's flagship doll has been high ever since the movie promotion took off. He says fans don't just want a movie ticket, they want the source material for themselves.

Joel loves that a toy which debuted in the '50s is just as popular today, and feels there are gonna be some rare editions of Barbie coming out of retirement, and onto auction blocks, thanks to the movie.

For context, Barbies that had been going for $100 last month are seeing markups around $150 today, and that's the cheap stuff. The one everyone's after is the 1959 debut doll -- which is going for anywhere between $15k to $20k today!

BTW, Joel -- AKA "The Toy Scout" -- knows his stuff when it comes to Barbie and beyond ... he's been in the game for 30 years, traveling across the country making deals on vintage toys and collectibles.

He also just wrapped a massive Disneyland auction with Van Eaton Galleries ... where over 1,400 theme park goodies from the past left his collection and went on the auction block.