For beginning collectors of Cabbage Patch Kids looking for information: I am a newbie collector, so I am still learning...that means there will be information in the next while...
Also something may be wrong, and I would love to know that! Please email me if that is the case.
This info is mostly for Coleco's. I hope to have TRU stuff up when I can get to it. I care very little for the Hasbro or Mattel dolls so that may be a long way off, if I ever put it up.
Legend of the Cabbage Patch Kids
Printed on each box (ok, most boxes) was the Legend of the CPKs and where they had come from:
Many years ago, a young boy named Xavier happened upon an enchanted Cabbage Patch, where he found very special Little People who called themselves Cabbage Patch Kids. To help fulfill the Cabbage Patch Kids' dream of having families with whom to share their love, Xavier set about building a special place known as BabyLand General, where the Kids remain until each is chosen for adoption. Won't you adopt a Cabbage Patch Kid and fill a little heart with love?
Signatures
Each kid has Xavier Robert's name signed on it's tush. This is an authenticator. Consequently, to determine the year each is a different color.
Colecos:
1983 - Black
1984 - Black/Brown dated (Foreigns mostly)
Early 1984 - Green undated
Late 1984 - Green dated
1985 - Blue
1986 - Red
1987 - Mint Green/Teal
1988 - Purple
1989 - Pink/Rose
Hasbros:
1990 - Mauve
1991 - Teal
1992 - Royal Blue
1993 - Dark Green
1994 - Burgundy
Mattel:
1995 - Purple
1996 - Green
1997 - Blue/Gray
1998 - Maroon/Black (15th Anniversary)
1999 - Mint Green
2000 - Purple
TRUs:
Fall/Winter 2001 - Dark Blue/Purple
Spring 2002 - Dark Green
Fall 2002 - Dark Green
Spring 2003 - Hot Pink
Fall 2003 - Hot Pink (20th Anniversary as well)
20th Anniversary Special Edition (10,000) - Silver (20th Ann. logo as well)
Coleco Factory Production
The Colecos came with side tags that gave pretty complete information on which factory they were made. This helps determine what kind of kid you have. For example, P (Perfeckta) factory kids have a high rate of pox (discoloration of the plastic=mold in the plastic) due to something in manufacturing. Other factories have other characteristics. If you want more info than I have, please visit here, as I refuse to steal this from someone I HIGHLY respect.The top 3 are the most common. The symbol is found as a letter or 2 in a circle on the side tag. There are more factories than listed. No one has any idea how many Coleco may have used.
KT - Kam Yeun factory (China)
OK - Kader factory (Hong Kong-1983/China-Present)
P - Perfeckta factory (China)
IC - unknown (Taiwan)
PMI - unknown (China)
SS - unknown. Babies and clothing. (China)
LF - unknown. Clothing. (China)
UT - unknown. Made clothing mostly. (Taiwan)
WJ - unknown. Show Ponies and others. (Korea)
Then the foreigners:
Jesmar - Spain
Lili Ledi - Mexico
Tri Ang - South Africa
Tsukuda - Japan
This is also marked on the tag. These are not the production companies as much as they are the foreign distributing companies. But this is what is marked on the tags and indicates a difference from the normal Coleco distribution.
Hair Colors and Styles
Coleco's:
Lemon - a bright yellow
Butterscotch/Gold - a nice rich, golden yellow color
Mustard - a muddy gold color, darker yellow
Tan/Beige - a tan, light brown color
Auburn - a light red-brown color
Brunette - a dark brown color
Red - a rich red color
Orange - a deep orangey-red color
Ponies - can be one ponytail (or braid) directly in the back of the head (or side of head) or 2 ponytails (or braids) on either side of the head
Poodle - Combo of looped and ponies
Loops - loops made to look like curly hair
Lion Mane - long loops that are cut at the top, farming a girl's face, usually.
Cut Loop/Shag - looks like a loop that has been cut at the top
Fuzzy - looks like cotton candy or cut loops that have been pulled apart and puffed up
Popcorn - looks like ponies that are made up of a yarn that has been looped over and over than used on the head.
Cornsilk - your basic plastic hair like on other dolls (a.k.a. Barbie)
Head Molds
Coleco's:
1 - no dimples/tight smile/close eyes
2 - two dimples/very long nose/some freckles
3 - one dimple left cheek/closed happy smile
4 - two dimples/short nose/pacifier mouth
5 - two dimples/small nose/one top tooth in center of mouth
6 - one dimple left cheek/very round face/pacifier mouth
8 - one dimple left cheek/up-turned nose/large ears/wore glasses
9 - two dimples/small, close eyes
10 - two dimples/big eyes/open mouth w/two bottom teeth/long nose
11 - two dimples/long nose/tongue sticks out to the left
12 - two dimples/bottom lip is sucked in/pouty
14 - one dimple right cheek/double chin
15 - no dimples/LARGE grin
16 - no dimples/one dimple on chin/chubby face
17 - no dimples/slightly open mouth w/two teeth
18 - one dimple right cheek/open mouth w/small tongue w/no color
19 - no dimples/open smile w/teeth
20 - no dimples/small mouth/large cheeks/slight smile
21 - one dimple right cheek/slight open mouth w/tongue
22 - no dimples/smile w/one bottom tooth/some freckles
23 - no dimples/curved upward smile w/tongue
30 - no dimples/smile to the right/round face=Designer Line
36 - no dimples/round Oriental eyes=Designer Line
44 - one dimple in chin/round cheeks/slight smile=Designer Line
45 - one dimple/flat nose/closed mouth smile=Designer Line
TRU Exclusive's:
Most TRU kids have the same eye shapes, same cheeks, etc. The only thing truly, noticably, different is the mouth and, to some degree, the nose and face shape. Each headmold number links to it's pictorial representation.
k1 - square face/1 dimple on left/small pink toungue curled to the right/flat nose
k2 k2 - round face/shy closed-mouth smile/pointy nose
k2 Asian - Asian eyes/round face/shy closed-mouth smile/pointy nose
k3 - square face/large, round, flat tongue smile/pointy nose
k4 - circular head/1 dimple on right/small closed mouth smile/pointy nose
k5 - square face/flat smile/pointy nose
k6 - round face/partially open smile/flat nose
k7 - square face/open toothy grin/pointy nose
k9 - square face/2 dimpled cheeks/closed "straight" smile/pointy nose
k20 - round face/round, loopsided, open mouth/rounded nose
Timeline
1978 - Soft Sculpture Little People dolls are introduced by artist Xavier Roberts (23/Georgia).
1983 - The first mass market Cabbage Patch Kids are produced by Coleco.
1984 - The CPK craze continues.
1985 - Head molds 5, 6 & 8 are introduced. Also Twins, World Travelers, Ponies, Furskins, Koosas, and others.
1986 - Head molds 9 to 15 are introduced. Also Cornsilks, Baseball, Circus, Astronauts, etc.
1988 - Toddlers are introduced.
1989 - Hasbro continues production after Coleco files bankruptcy. The transitional kids are produced.
1990 - Hasbro introduces it's own line (with the correct tags).
1996 - Mattel continues manufacturing CPK's (taking over in 1995). This includes the Olympic Kids, the official mascot of the Summer Olympics for the USA.
2000 - USPS introduces the commorative stamp of the CPK's in their reflective series of the 20th century.
2001 - Toys 'R Us introduces TRU kids.
2003 - 20th Anniversary of Mass-production and the Cabbage Patch Kids.
