Danbury Mint: The Princess Diana Royal Wardrobe Collection

Information

In 1987, The Danbury Mint issued the original Princess Diana Royal Wardrobe Collection.  The set consisted of 25 outfits replicating those worn by Princess Diana from approximately 1981 to 1987.  Each outfit came with it's own dress form, as well as accessories meant to replicate those worn with the outfit by Diana.  While the Danbury Mint made 27 different replica outfits, only 25 outfits were sent to each collector who signed up for the set.  Thus, the sets each collector received were not all the same but were some combination of 25 out of 27 outfits.  Outfits were assigned numbers from DDU/1 to DDU/27.

The original doll was included free with the first outfit; a pink satin gown with Tiara, earrings and a rose

When signing up for the 25 outfit set, the customer received a Certificate of Registration.

As this 1989 receipt shows that the outfits were sent two at a time with  a purchase price of $24.50, shipping and handling $2.50, per outfit.  While tax wasn't originally charged to this New York address (whited out), a later note from the company advised that future shipments would be taxed.

A shipper holding two Danbury Mint boxed outfits:

Each outfit came boxed individually.

On the end of each box, the outfit inside was identified.

Each outfit was surrounded by tissue.

Each outfit was wrapped in cellophane with a twist tie around the waist.  To protect the bottom of the dress form, which was white metal, more plastic was put around the bottom and twisted upward on the stand.  The dress form itself was plastic.  Accessories were often wrapped individually in plastic bags with one of more then put into a larger plastic bag and stapled shut. 

Also included in each box was a list of what accessories came with the outfit and included the outfit number on the bottom right hand side.  (Here DDU/12) Note: this is not for the Bubble Skirt outfit above.

Each outfit also came with a Collection Card that included a picture of Diana wearing the outfit, a description of the outfit and information on where and when she wore the outfit. 

The Danbury Mint sent the following Instructions for Displaying the Diana Doll

They also sent Instructions for Dressing the Diana Doll. 

The 1987 set  included a Burgundy Card Wallet in which to display the Collector Cards. 

Also available was a Bright Red Trunk.  I don't know the purpose of the trunk considering the outfits did not come with hangers and would not have all fit in the trunk even with hangers.  The trunk was average doll size and would not have had any room for the dress forms.

1998 Commemorative Edition

In 1998, Danbury Mint issued a "Commemorative Edition" which consisted of only 18 outfits from the original set, as shown in the ad below.  These outfits were issued at a $31.95 price with $3 for shipping and handling.  After purchasing a certain number of the outfits, the collector got a Navy Blue Wooden Tiered Doll stand for free.  This stand hand enough room to display the doll and all the outfits.  At the back of the stand was a drawer in which to store the Collector Cards.  The Red Trunk was not available for this edition.

Nine outfits were discontinued from this edition and no new outfits were issued. 

This ad was placed in the Los Angeles Times Parade Magazine on November 23, 1997.

Danbury Mint also mailed ads out for the Commemorative Edition.  Notice that the Diana doll comes with shorter hair, no eye shadow and is wearing a different dress than the Diana doll in the original edition.

The three tier stand with the Collector's Album

The drawer in the back of the stand to hold the Collector's Album

The Commemorative Edition came with the following paperwork.

The certificate of registration on the Commemorative Edition is in blue.  The original set came with the card in red.

The receipt stub is smaller than the original.

Collector information

The Danbury Mint no longer produces either of these collections.

To purchase either the collection or individual outfits, you must use the secondary market.  At any given time, it's not too hard to find a few outfits on eBay.  However, because the Commemorative Edition discontinued 9 of the outfits, some of those outfits have been increasingly difficult to obtain.   The outfits that are relatively easy to find, DDU/1 through DDU/18, are usually priced somewhere between $10 to $50.  Some may go as high as $75 each.   See http://www.lisasdollcloset.com/danbury_di.htm for pictures of each outfit.

The difficult to find outfits include DDU/20, DDU/25, DDU/26 and DDU/27. 

DDU/20 is a much sought after outfit and can sell for between $75-125 or more.

DDU/25 is not a particularly well liked outfit.  The dress itself is flimsy but it does come with nice accessories.  However, it is hard to find so it goes for between $75-100 usually.

DDU/26 is the Bubble skirted outfit.  It is probably the hardest outfit to find and is well liked.  It can go as high as $175 or more.  Sometimes, however, it goes for between $125-150.

DDU/27 is the Red Wool suit.  Not only is it hard to find, but it's probaby the most treasured outfit of the rare ones!  You'll be lucky to get it for $125. Expect to pay more; even as much as in the $200 range.

Either doll, dressed or nude, is easy to get.  Don't pay more than about $20 for a nude one or $35 for a dressed one, unless the dressed one happens to be wearing one of the hard to get outfits!

The information on this page related to current prices are what I have experienced on eBay over a number of years, including up to December 2006.  Other people might have different experiences or attitudes on the worth of the particular outfits.  When buying, always check the eBay completed items to see what the outfit last sold for.

Although individual outfits are often on eBay, complete sets (25 outfits) are harder to find.  But, when you do find a set, it will probably be much cheaper to buy than if you buy the outfits piece by piece.  The sets have plummeted in value.  They used to go for $750-900 or more.  Now, they can go for as little as $300 per set if they don't have at least three of the hard to find outfits in the set and don't include the Collector Cards.  Rarely does a set come with the stand or trunk, although the trunk can be bought separately on eBay.  I don't think I've ever seen the wooden stand sold separately.

If there is any information you'd like on the Danbury Mint Diana Wardrobe Collection, you can email me.  BUT, don't expect to get many answers because I think I've put everything I know about them onto this website!  Others have more knowledge.