With the craze of collecting dolls, the number of places that have popped up where you can actually find them have multiplied like rabbits over the years. Where it used to be that some dolls were close to impossible to find, now all you pretty much have to do is just turn around and you'll find what you're looking for.

The first place to find collectible dolls, believe it or not, is right at your local toy store. Places like Toys R Us and Kay-Bee Toys actually make it a point to stock dolls that are in great demand. You're not going to find the old collectibles at these places but if a doll is new and sure to be a hit or is of a series that has been popular for a long time, like Barbie, you can be sure that the latest addition to this collection is going to be at one of these two stores. And sometimes your Ma and Pa store will carry some very rare dolls that you won't find anywhere else. So make sure you check those out too.

Another place to find collectible dolls is at what they call a specialty store. There are many of these all over the place. Most of them usually specialize in collectible trading cards like Magic The Gathering, but some also stock some very old collectible dolls or at least know where to get them if you put in a special order, which you can do. Just expect to pay a bundle for something purchased from one of these stores. The markup on these items will make your head spin.

Then there's the local newspaper. There are always people advertising dolls that they have for sale in them. Usually a paper will have a special section in the classifieds called collectibles. In this section you'll find what the doll is and a phone number so you can call the person. Many specialty stores also advertise their weekly specials in this section in order to get you to come down to their establishment.

Finally, there is online. The Internet is a virtual paradise for collectibles. The main place that people seem to go to is Ebay. But you have to be very careful when trying to get a collectible doll from Ebay. Because this is an auction site you're not guaranteed a fixed price. The bidding for each doll will usually start very small unless the owner of the doll sets the starting bid very high, especially if it is a very hot item. But with many people bidding on this item you could end up spending a fortune on a doll that is maybe worth half as much. So make sure you pick a price that you are not going to go above before you start your bidding.

Other sites like privately run web sites may be a little more reasonable. The price will be fixed and in most cases will actually be below book value. That is the lure of these sites. They make it seem like you're getting a great deal, which you are if you're a die hard collector and plan to resell the doll down the road.

Yes, there are many places to find the doll you want. Just make sure you don't get taken to the cleaners in the process.