Best of 2020 - Number 9: Poppy Parker

As a protest against the current collecting situation of this doll line, I almost left Poppy Parker off my Top 10 list this year.  It seems Poppy Parker has attracted a large number of speculators and scalpers.  

I learned that there were a lot of people that signed up for the IFDC this year with the single intent of flipping the dolls, there are W Club members that have purchased several memberships and only purchase exclusives or enter lotteries for the purpose of selling the Poppy dolls and making money, and individuals bought multiple convention tickets only to sell the convention loot on secondary market.  

These sellers seem to be controlling the secondary market because they are posting dolls at 100 - 500% markup.  If collectors would stop buying at such ridiculous prices, maybe the locusts would go away.  

Some collectors buy Poppy versions as "trade bait".  Some sell them for these ridiculous prices to pay for their own purchases.   Add to this chaos the fact that Poppy Parker has attracted a lot of new collectors, and the current state of collecting Poppy Parker is actually quite toxic; I may avoid the line altogether next year.  

2019 was an excellent year for Poppy Parker; she was my Number 1 in my countdown, with Love Is Blue being my favorite version.  I actually added 17 different Poppies to my personal collection, thanks mainly to the 2019 IT Fashion Week Convention.  

As a matter of fact, Poppy Parker is not a stranger to my Countdown.  In 2011, I Love How You Love Me came in at Number 5.  To The Fair showed up as Number 8 in 2013, Joyous Celebration was Number 9 in 2014, and Welcome to Misty Hollows was Number 8 in 2017.  Not to mention, Poppy Parker held the Number 1 spot a second time in 2016 - this time Bonjour Mademoiselle was my favorite.

Even in a lean year like 2020, there may be as many as 17 versions released in the past 12 months (provided Undercover Angel actually ships prior to January 1).  I reviewed the Model Traveler Collection in my blog Review of The Model Traveler Collection and Adding #20 - #23 to 2020.

I was able to acquire Pretty Bird as a W Club upgrade for retail cost. (Added as #20 of 2020 to my collection)

From the mainline, I was able to purchase Hello New York (#21 of 2020), Mad for Milan (#22 of 2020), and Tokyo Twilight (#23 of 2020) directly from IT dealers at retail.

I entered the W Club Lottery for both versions of Anniversary Kiss (#24 of 2020).  Although I preferred the blonde, I at least won the right to purchase the brunette.

That is where my luck with Poppy Parker ended in 2020.  I had to pay secondary market for the W Club Lottery doll, Sizzling in Paris (#25 of 2020).

I was unlucky again in the IFDC lotteries, so I had to resort to e-bay for  Viva Las Vegas (#26 of 2020) and Kiss In The Shadows (#27 of 2020).

Trying to score a 2020 IT Convention Ticket was a nightmare this year!  I got thrown out of the cue three times.  Apparently some of  those who kept hitting "refresh" (even though we were told in an e-mail not to hit "refresh") got through.  Some collectors who were able to jump back on after the website was shut down, were able to sneak through.  Some collectors were able to purchase multiple convention tickets.  It was a total fiasco and left a very bitter taste in my mouth.  (I've been a loyal customer since 2005 and was told by Alain that I missed out by seconds and there was no room after 575 - then the Certificates of Authenticity for the convention dolls list the edition sizes at 660.)

I set a maximum price for dolls I was willing to buy secondary market.  I only secured two of the five versions of Poppy Parker from the IT Legendary Convention.  I got Commanding Attention (#28 of 2020):

And am still waiting for the arrival of Dazzling Debut (#29 of 2020 has been caught in the mail system since 12/6).  The photos of the rest of the dolls in this blog are property of IT:

Even though they were two of the more popular versions of Poppy Parker, you will not find Masquerade Magic

or Anniversary Kiss Blonde 

in my collection because I refuse to pay the current secondary market prices for these dolls.  They exceed my comfort zone for the price of a single doll.

Personally, I was fine with passing up Lady Luck (not my favorite of 2020):

And I've been unable to land the other three IT Legendary Convention Poppies at prices I am willing to pay - Black Tie:

Party in The Hamptons:

And Lovely in Lilac:

Regardless of how I feel about the secondary market of Poppy Parker and the greed we are seeing from some individuals, I still enjoy having this doll in my collection.   Some collectors have commented that the screenings look more mature this year, but I don't mind.  Number 9 of 2020 is Poppy Parker.