Precious Moments figurines collectors can be fiercely loyal and hold their collections close to their hearts. Many also spend considerable time and effort buying and selling them, either to trade up or make extra money. It's a thriving market, and there are different ways to find out what specific pieces are worth and to locate interested buyers.
What Stores Sell Precious Moments?
Artist and sculptor Samuel J. Butcher originally created the Precious Moments brand. His original hand-painted porcelain bisque figurines featured soulful children with teardrop-shaped eyes and have expanded significantly over time. The first collection, known now as the Original 21 Precious Moments, was released in 1978. A few years later, The Precious Moments Collectors' Club came into being and soon grew to more than 400,000 members. Various international retailers sell these figurines, and you can find the Precious Moments catalog 2021 on the company website.
In the United States, you can find Precious Moments figurines at retailers like Bed Bath & Beyond, Hallmark stores, Kohl's and Amazon. New ones usually don't cost more than $70. Aside from the traditional pieces, they also sell Disney figurines, baby gifts, stuffed animals, books and Christmas tree ornaments. You can find Precious Moments Identification and Value Guides at various websites online, with different sources separating the collectibles into figurines, animals, teddy bears, hanging ornaments, miniature buildings and musical figurines. You can also buy the pieces on various websites.
Precious Moments Collectors Database
If you are ready to sell some of these collectibles, the resources provided by the experts at the Precious Moments Collectors Database would be the best place to start, but you should note that this does have a subscription fee. It is web-based, so you don't need to install anything on your computer. You can use it to identify and value the figurines and other pieces, create inventories and print reports of what you have. This database contains pieces from 1976 until today, but you'll need to create an account with a username and password to find out what yours are worth.
Some websites like Retired Precious Moments sell retired Precious Moments collectibles, which can be less or more expensive than the news ones depending on their rarity and other value-determining factors. They sell the Original 21, limited editions and more. You can browse by category and price, and they offer free shipping if you spend more than $100.
Best Way to Get Rid of Precious Moments
The writers at WCPO report that older, limited-edition Precious Moments figurines can be worth a lot of money provided that they are in pristine condition. Offering rare ones or selling Precious Moments in bulk can make you a lot of money. You'll want to create an account on the Precious Moments Collectors Database and then search for the pieces you have to see their values. Alternatively, you can search Precious Moments value eBay to see the general ballpark prices of other people selling them. Then, you can begin taking photos and writing up your descriptions.
There are also places online to sell and buy these and other collectibles; however, these websites may be less reputable, so you will want to do your research. Make sure that you know exactly what yours are worth and whether or not the buyers charge any fees. Wondering what some of the most valuable Precious Moments figurines are worth? "Make a Joyful Noise" (9 inches) sold for $500, and "He's Got the Whole World" (9 inches) fetched $350. If you search eBay, you'll see that there are bulk collections listed for as much as $14,990 (with almost a dozen watchers). The Carousel Horses figurine is also listed there for $795.99, and the Capodimonte Sea-Saw is up for $795.00.
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