For some, it was Beanie Babies. For others, it was Precious Moments figurines. In the 1990s, those were the two big camps you could fall into as far as collectors’ items were concerned.
If you happen to still have some of those little doll-like figurines hanging around your home, they could be worth a lot of money — if you’re willing to part with them, that is. (Of course, that’s not to snub Beanie Babies, because they can be worth quite a bit, too!).
Not all of your figurines will be worth money — only those that are rare, hard to find or special in some way will get you some cash. Here’s what might make your old Precious Moments figurines more valuable and net you more money if you decide to sell.
What’s the Appeal of Precious Moments Figurines?
The first 21 figurines arrived in retail stores for the first time in 1978. Part of what makes the Precious Moments figurines worth so much money is that only one of the “Original 21” figurines is still available for purchase. (The Love One Another figurine, shown above, is the only statue from that collection that hasn’t been retired and is still available.)
If you want to get your hands on some of those early figurines that were so popular in the late ’70s and 1980s, you’ll have to be willing to shell out big bucks for them.
But the little statues had staying power. Precious Moments are still around, and figurines old and new are adorable. Each scene tells a story, making them great to put on display. The company still makes new figurines to mark milestones or just celebrate a relationship, like this A Sweet Friendship Refreshes the Soul figurine.
Many of the figurines are rooted in Christianity, as the original creator, Samuel Butcher, was religious and worked for a church. Butcher began by drawing the dolls and eventually turned them into figurines.
The Precious Moments figurines have since gathered a devoted fan base, and they’re still given as gifts for special occasions or holidays. They make great keepsakes, too. For example, this Noah’s Ark piggybank would be cute addition to a new baby’s room that will still be special as the child grows.
While the dolls may be within a reasonable price range on the Precious Moments website and at Wayfair, based on previous purchases we saw on eBay, people are willing to pay a lot for some of the vintage and limited-edition dolls.
Rare Precious Moments figurines are currently on sale on eBay for as much as $500, and if you’re willing to get rid of an entire lot of them at once, well, it might be worth thousands.
Since it only cost roughly $15 to purchase a Precious Moments figurine when they originally debuted, selling one or more now would definitely be a return on your investment. But some of the new limited-edition figurines, like the You Add Color to My World statue below, are already priced higher — this one’s $150. You might have to wait a while to get a good return on these.
What Makes For A High Selling Price?
The older these figurines are, the more they sell for, and it’s also important that they’re in good condition.
If you’re willing to part with your entire collection as opposed to just one figurine, you could stand to make a lot of money.
Some figurines were limited edition, so if you’ve got one of those sitting on a shelf somewhere, it would definitely be worth quite a bit of cash if listed online.
Some of the limited-edition pieces will be holiday-themed, akin to the holiday figurines from the official Precious Moments website, such as the Falling into Fun with the One I Love figurine below.
How Have Previous Sales Performed?
We took it upon ourselves to research how much Precious Moments items have sold for in the past, and we found that a few categories of the figurines tend to sell for more than others.
1. Limited Edition
Years ago, a version of the “Make A Joyful Noise” figurine sold for $409 on eBay. It’s now being sold for $649 by one seller. Since Precious Moments continues to make limited-edition figurines, you could also start a collection now that will likely increase in value as time goes on and they become more rare.
2. Rare
Rare Precious Moments figurines can be worth hundreds when sold individually, and thousands when sold in bulk. In February of 2019, a rare 2010 edition Disney Cinderella horse-drawn carriage piece sold for $1,500 — and there were just 1,500 total figurines of this type made in the world. There is one currently on sale on eBay for $599.
3. Original 21
As one of the original 21 designs, the “God Loveth A Cheerful Giver” figurine sold for $275 back in 2017. One seller currently has one on sale for a whopping $499.
4. Entire Lot
A large collection of these figurines once sold for $5,000 in 2017, so if you’ve been collecting these for years, there’s potential for a considerable amount of extra money to be made. One seller has a lot of figurines for sale for a grand total of $14,999. Keep in mind that for that price, most items in the lot are in mint condition, come with certificates of authenticity and eight have even been signed by the original creator.
Studying the previous sales on eBay will help you determine how to price your vintage items. So, if you’re prepared to sell your Precious Moments figurines, do your research and get ready to make some money!
This story originally appeared on Don't Waste Your Money.
