{"product_id":"1985-barbie-original-iconic-80s-aa-astronaut-doll","title":"1985 - Barbie - Original Iconic 80s (AA) - Astronaut - NRFB","description":"\u003ch3\u003eTwo Years After Sally Ride, Mattel Put Barbie in a Space Suit and Made a Statement the Decade Was Still Catching Up To\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eModel 2449 is the 1985 African American Astronaut Barbie, released the same year as the Caucasian version and positioned at a moment when the real-world conversation about women in space was moving faster than the broader culture was ready to acknowledge. Sally Ride had become the first American woman in space in June 1983, and Mattel released the Astronaut Barbie in both the Caucasian and African American versions simultaneously in 1985 - a decision that was more deliberate than the toy industry of that year typically managed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 1985 Astronaut Barbie is one of the most historically significant releases in the entire Barbie line because it made an argument in plastic at a moment when the argument still needed making. The African American version specifically is among the most sought-after pieces in the serious Barbie collector market, not just for its rarity in the original packaging but for what it represents: a toy company in 1985 deciding that a Black woman in a space suit on a shelf in a toy store was a completely normal and desirable thing, and manufacturing accordingly.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nManufacturer: Mattel\u003cbr\u003e\nCountry of manufacture: Philippines\u003cbr\u003e\nModel #: 2449\u003cbr\u003e\nPlease note: There is wear to the box - see images\u003cbr\u003e\nMelody Likes box condition grade: Very Good - \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/4504\/6718\/files\/MelodyLikes-Doll-Box-Condition-Guide_05303af8-20b2-4137-8091-87f3c51d9668.png?v=1773150063\"\u003eView our box condition guide\u003c\/a\u003e","brand":"Melody Likes","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49180727050430,"sku":"BARBIE-1985-ORIGINAL-ASTRONAU-DOLL","price":303.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/4504\/6718\/files\/1985-barbie-original-iconic-80s-aa-astronaut-doll-1.jpg?v=1790641744","url":"https:\/\/melodylikes.com\/products\/1985-barbie-original-iconic-80s-aa-astronaut-doll","provider":"Melody Likes","version":"1.0","type":"link"}