Q -- About four or five years ago I purchased at auction two English-made House of Nisbet British Royalty Commemorative doll sets. The Royal Wedding set, No. 3529 of 4,000, features Princess Diana in her wedding gown and Prince Charles in his military regalia. The Royal Baby Boy set, No. 2067 of 5,000, includes Prince Charles, Princess Diana and baby Prince William.Both sets are in their period boxes and have a twofold booklet that provides information about the event they commemorate and a certificate with signatures of Peggy Nisbet and others involved with the limited edition. I paid $37.50 for the first set and $42.50 for the second. Four thousand and 5,000 do not seem like large numbers given the millions of people who loved Princess Diana.Should I sell them in the United States or offer them to Christie's or Sotheby's in England to be sold at auction? Would the first anniversary of Princess Diana's death be the best time to sell? -- DK, Weirton, WVA -- I am a "tell it like it is" person.

You obviously are as well. You wish to know when is the ideal time to reap the financial windfall inherent in your doll sets as a result of Princess Diana's death, how to do it, and where. Now is the time. The best place is America and the quickest means is via a classified advertisement in a trade periodical, especially one that is doll focused.My thanks to Dawn Herlocher, owner of Dawn's Dolls (15 Maple Ave., Mackeyville, PA 17750) and author of "200 Years of Dolls: Identification and Price Guide" (Antique Trader Books, 1996, $17.95, 276 pp.), for doing the research that enables me to answer your question. Peggy Nisbet's "Peggy Nisbet Story" (Hobby House Press, 1988, $19.95, 152 pp.) is the principal reference source for information about Peggy Nisbet.Nisbet doll sets were actively advertised in doll publications such as "Doll Reader" at the time of the Royal Wedding and subsequent birth of Prince William. In 1981 House of Nisbet 16-inch Prince of Wales and Princess of Wales dolls retailed for $66.98 each.

A boxed set of House of Nisbet 8-inch vinyl Prince Charles and Princess Diana dolls with Diana dressed in her wedding gown, "exquisite in every detail," sold for $130. An advertisement in the November, 1983 "Doll Reader" for the Nisbet Royal Christening set featured an 8-inch vinyl Princess Diana doll wearing a turquoise robe of the finest silk, an 8-inch vinyl Prince Charles doll in his "less formal Mess dress," a smaller vinyl doll of Prince William "snuggled in his mother's arms," and a certificate listed at $145.As the prices you paid at auction indicated, these doll sets had declined significantly in value prior to Princess Diana's tragic death. You are correct in assuming that this is no longer the case. Currently, a boxed Nisbet set of either the Royal Wedding or Christening of Prince William with its accompanying certificate are selling in the $500 to $600 range. Prior to Diana's death both sets were a tough sell and were priced between $50 and $75.Sell now. You would make a major mistake to assume that values will continue to escalate and that current value levels will hold for an extended time.

Do not hesitate to take advantage of the current wave of panic and speculative buying of Princess Diana dolls and other material.Time will prove that the smartest individuals are those who sold when the market was on the way up instead of waiting until it collapsed, an event that certainly will happen.The Best Tire GelThe House of Nisbet Royal commemorative dolls sets you own were expensive for their time. Labrador Puppies For Sale In Mobile AlabamaDawn Herlocher suggested that those individuals who purchased the 1981 Royal Britannia Collection wedding doll set, made in Hong Kong and featuring two 11-1/2" dolls in a presentation box, that retailed for $45 are the potential big winners. Labrador Retriever Puppies For Sale Oahu

Collectors view this set on par with the House of Nisbet sets. It currently sells on the secondary collecting market between $500 and $600 as well.Q -- I have two lithograph steel houses made by Lionel Company of New York. The houses have brick walls and stone roofs. Each is marked on the bottom with the Lionel logo and numbers 184-1. They are in fine condition. I would consider selling them for the right price. -- RB, Allentown, PAHow much are Princess Diana dolls worth? The value of dolls modeled after the late Princess Diana vary due to their age, condition and designer. Though the value of the dolls had declined before her death, according to The Morning Call, certain types of dolls appreciated in value after Diana’s death. Why is there a scandal about the CBS photos of Princess Diana's accident? How do you determine the value of old ceramic insulators? What are some tips on determining the value of old decanters? Peggy Nisbet Princess Diana dolls have been very lucrative.

One of the dolls featured Diana in her wedding gown and another in a turquoise silk dress holding baby Prince William after his birth. At the time of the article in 1998, the dolls were selling at $500 to $600 each. Prior to Diana’s death, the dolls averaged about $50 to $75 in value. According to The Telegraph, on the other hand, Princess Diana Franklin Mint dolls have decreased in value. This is because of the fighting between the Franklin Mint and the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. The Franklin Mint created the dolls without the estate’s consent to use Diana’s image. Learn more about Collecting What are some factors that affect the value of a Currier Ives print? Currier & Ives prints are sought after by many collectors, but the value of these lithographs depends upon factors such as authenticity, age, condition, su... What is the value of my collectible plates? The price of collectible plates will range due to a number of different characteristics;