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Mayor Rob Ford signs bobble head dolls for supporters at city hall in Toronto, Ontario Tuesday, November 12, 2013.Kevin Van Paassen

Hundreds of people waited in line, some arriving as early as 6 a.m., to buy a Mayor Rob Ford bobblehead doll at City Hall Tuesday.

The 1,000 dolls, dubbed "Robbie Bobbies," are being sold as a fundraiser for the United Way. Sales began just after 10 a.m., with the mayor arriving to sign the dolls and greet customers around 10:30.

When the mayor arrived, many in the line applauded. He quickly sprinted up to his office before returning to the City Hall atrium to dole out the dolls, not stopping to take questions from reporters.

The limited edition bobbleheads were ordered prior to the embattled mayor's admission that he has smoked crack cocaine but the recent revelations only made the dolls more desirable to many waiting in line.

Jeff Sacco, 31, woke up at 5 a.m. to make it to City Hall for 6:15 a.m. to get a doll after his father, who lives in Niagara Falls, told him over the weekend he wanted one.

"You can get a bobblehead anywhere but this is coming directly from the mayor's office so it has a little bit more weight to it. It's more a fascination."

The dolls have already popped up on eBay and it's clear they're in high demand. One listing has already garnered bids of $155.The line of patrons -- a mix of Ford Nation and amused anti-Ford crowds -- snaked around the City Hall atrium and down a side hallway where councillor Doug Ford greeted those in line as they inched forward.

He said his brother is "turning the corner" and was making changes, like spending time at the gym.

He added he was disappointed he would be limited to one bobblehead, as 30 friends and family members had asked him to pick one up for them.

"I take a beating for my brother. I order 30 of these because I've got, this morning, 30 calls and now they've relegated me to one bobblehead doll. Something's wrong here," he joked.

The bobbleheads were originally limited to five per person but after seeing the amount of interest, staff decided to limit sales to one per person, making the dolls even more valuable to those waiting to get their hands on the collectible.

Tammy Simpson, who was standing near the back of the line when the dolls went on sale, said she wouldn't give hers up for $1,000.

"No. I just want to keep it for a keepsake."

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