Another month, another article from a mainstream media outlet claiming American Girl dolls are worth thousands of dollars. This time, Yahoo Lifestyle just published an article with outrageous asking prices for dolls- citing examples such as a 1987 Samantha for $3,000 with an entire collection and a Kirsten for $4,000 with a lot of accessories.
Well, it's almost the holiday season, and since that means prices for AG products on eBay and other resale sites will go up, I felt the need to explain why your American Girl doll probably isn't worth $3,000. My fellow teens and all the kids reading this, use this as defense if your parents ask you "do you want to sell your dolls?". Parents, listen up, because your dreams of making money off your child's doll are about to be CRUSHED. (And adult collectors, save this just in case your significant other wants to sell off your collection or your parents ask you to do so for their retirement fund.)
If your doll is still available, unless she's in a certain condition, you can get her on American Girl's site for $98. Not $3000. $98. (If every AG was $3000, I could get a house with the money my family's spent on my AG collection in dolls alone.)

See right here? 98 WASHINGTONS. Or a Grant, two Jacksons, a Lincoln and three Washingtons.
If your doll is retired, the value of the doll depends.
If it is a Truly Me, I doubt you'll scoop up any extra dough for that because if you're not a hardcore AG fan, Truly Mes are just 'the ones that look like you'. Only under one condition would you get something extra for one:

$225 for a American Girl of Today in a Mix and Match Outfit with booklets, Grin Pins AND BOX? This is the most elusive you'll get in the Truly Me department, fellows.
If it's a character doll, the value depends. There's some that aren't so rare (like Isabelle, Tenney or Molly) and some that are kind of rare, but still nowhere near $3000.
Let's use Kanani as an example. In her heyday, she used to sell for $500. Now, she's selling for...

$280 new in box. This would've went for $5-$600 back in 2014, I guarantee it. Expensive, but nowhere where she would've gone for back then... and nowhere close to $3000.
Marie-Grace is another rare doll. She was only sold for three years, and I bet you at least 10% of the Marie-Graces out there are customized now. Even so...

New in box for $120. Only $22 more than a doll that you can get from AG.
I feel like you get the idea now... even new in box and retired, AGs aren't worth as much as the articles tell you they do. There are some exceptions, however, though even these aren't worth $3000...
The holy grail of American Girl collecting.
The dream of a lot of the collectors, including me (who doesn't own one yet).
An white-bodied 1986 Samantha/Kirsten/Molly, original 1991 Felicity or original 1993 Addy with Pleasant Rowland's signature. Yes, the Pleasant in Pleasant Company.

This Kirsten labeled #446 went for $1,400. But don't give up on your $3,000 doll dreams yet...

This #1956 Molly went for $2,999- just a buck under $3000.
In conclusion, you're usually going to be able to only pick up about $100 or less for an AG doll. If you have a retired doll this can jump to $200... and only in the luckiest of circumstances you'll be able to sell a doll for $3,000.
So send your doll to Pleasant Rowland and get them signed. (Just kidding.)