Most Precious Moments figurines are worth approximately $5-25 each today, and a large inherited collection usually sells for a fraction of what it cost new. The figurines were produced by Enesco from 1978 in very large numbers, collected by millions of people, and priced in 1990s guides at levels the market no longer supports. A smaller group still brings more: some of the original 21 figurines from 1978 without an annual mark, early pieces with the 1981 triangle or 1982 hourglass symbols, large and elaborate pieces such as big nativity sets, and some club and chapel exclusive pieces. Even those mostly sell in the $30-200 range, with only a few going higher.
Precious Moments are easy to identify because nearly every piece carries its title, a style number and a small production symbol on the base. Reading the base is the first and most useful step.
Quick answer
- Most Precious Moments figurines sell for $5-25; many common pieces for less in a group lot.
- Turn the figurine over and read the base: style number, title and the small annual symbol.
- No-mark original 21 pieces, triangle and hourglass marks, large pieces and some exclusives can bring $30-200 or more.
How to check yours, step by step
- Turn the figurine over. The base is usually flat bisque porcelain with an opening in the center. Hold it under a good light.
- Find the incised or printed information. Most pieces show the Precious Moments name, a copyright year, Enesco or Samuel J. Butcher, and the title of the piece. Many carry a paper sticker with the style number, such as E-1376 for "Love One Another". Early style numbers begin with "E-"; later numbers are six digits or more. From the mid 2000s production moved from Enesco to Precious Moments, Inc., and those later pieces carry its name; they are recent and sell at the low end.
- Do not read the copyright year as the production year. The incised year, such as (c) 1978, is the year the design was copyrighted. The same design may have been made for twenty years.
- Find the annual production symbol. This is a tiny symbol, usually molded or stamped into the base near the copyright text. From 1981 onward each year has its own symbol, listed in the table below. A piece with no symbol at all is either a pre-1981 piece or a later piece where the mark was missed.
- Check whether the piece is retired or suspended. Enesco retired designs permanently and suspended others, which could later return. Reference guides and collector sites list status by style number.
- Check for special editions. Look for "Limited Edition", "Members Only" or club pieces, "Chapel Exclusive" pieces from the Precious Moments Chapel in Carthage, Missouri, dated annual pieces such as ornaments and bells, and large or multi-piece sets.
- Inspect for damage. Run a finger gently over the ears, hands, noses and feet. Chips on these points are the most common damage and are hard to see in a photo.
- Look for the original box. The white Enesco box with the matching sticker adds a few dollars and makes a piece easier to sell.
- Look up sold prices. Search the exact title and style number in sold listings online, and check whether the sold examples have the same annual mark.
Reading the annual production symbols
The annual symbols are what collectors use to date a piece. Early marks were made for shorter periods and on fewer pieces, which is why they carry a premium.
| Mark | Year | Effect on value |
|---|---|---|
| No mark | Before 1981 | Highest premium, especially on the original 21 |
| Triangle | 1981 | Strong premium |
| Hourglass | 1982 | Premium |
| Fish | 1983 | Moderate premium |
| Cross | 1984 | Small premium |
| Dove | 1985 | Small or none |
| Olive branch | 1986 | Usually none |
| Cedar tree | 1987 | Usually none |
| Flower | 1988 | Usually none |
| Bow and arrow | 1989 | Usually none |
| Flame | 1990 | Usually none |
| Vessel | 1991 | Usually none |
| G clef | 1992 | Usually none |
| Butterfly | 1993 | Usually none |
| Trumpet | 1994 | Usually none |
| Ship | 1995 | Usually none |
| Heart | 1996 | Usually none |
| Sword | 1997 | Usually none |
| Eyeglasses | 1998 | Usually none |
The series continued with new symbols in later years. Collectors also prize the occasional piece whose mark is missing when it should be present, sometimes called a no-mark error, but the premium is usually modest outside of the earliest designs.
The original 21
The first 21 figurines released in 1978 are the foundation of the line. They include pieces such as "Love One Another", "Jesus Loves Me" in boy and girl versions, "Make a Joyful Noise", "Smile, God Loves You", "Prayer Changes Things" and "God Loveth a Cheerful Giver", most with style numbers in the E-1372 to E-1381 range. The earliest examples have no annual mark, often with an early style sticker. Several of the original 21 stayed in production for years, so the same title can exist with no mark, triangle, hourglass and many later symbols. Only the early versions bring a real premium. "God Loveth a Cheerful Giver" was retired early and is one of the better known pieces from that group.
What Precious Moments figurines are worth
Approximate sold ranges for figurines in clean condition, without damage. Sold prices vary month to month, but the bands below are stable.
| What you have | Approximate value |
|---|---|
| Common figurine, any mark from about 1985 on | $3-15 |
| Common figurine with original box | $5-25 |
| Ornament, bell, plate or thimble | $2-10 |
| Original 21 figurine with a later mark | $10-35 |
| Original 21 figurine with no mark | $30-150 |
| Triangle or hourglass mark on an early design | $20-80 |
| "God Loveth a Cheerful Giver", no mark | $75-250 |
| Retired or suspended piece, later mark | $5-30 |
| Limited edition or club members only piece | $15-60 |
| Chapel exclusive piece | $15-75 |
| Large nativity set, multi-piece, complete | $75-400 |
| Large figurine, 9 inches or more | $40-200 |
| Whole collection of 50 to 100 common pieces | $150-600 as a lot |
Size and complexity matter more than most people expect. A small single child figure is the cheapest format, while groups with several figures, scenes with buildings or animals, and the larger 9 inch and up figurines were expensive when new and still attract buyers. Musical pieces and figurines with a working wind-up movement do slightly better than plain ones of the same design.
The 1990s guide prices for many of these pieces were several times higher. Those guides recorded a market at its peak, and many families still use them as the reference. They are a useful historical record but not a selling price.
Retired and suspended explained
Enesco introduced new designs every year and removed older ones. A retired piece was taken out of production permanently, with the mold destroyed, which once caused excited buying. A suspended piece was removed from production but could return. Because so many pieces were retired over the years and collectors bought them in volume as soon as retirements were announced, retirement on its own adds little today. It matters mainly when combined with an early mark.
Condition
Precious Moments are bisque porcelain: unglazed and slightly matte, with pastel paint. Chips on the tips of ears, fingers, noses, wings and feet are the most common damage, and a chip cuts the value of a common piece close to nothing and an early piece by half or more. Repairs with glue or paint lower value similarly. Dust and discoloration from smoke clean off with a soft brush and mild soapy water, but avoid soaking pieces with paper stickers on the base, since the sticker identifies the style number.
The inherited collection reality and how to sell
Many families inherit 50, 100 or several hundred figurines along with boxes, display cabinets and price guides. The honest approach saves time:
- Sort first. Turn every piece over and set aside anything with no mark, a triangle, an hourglass or a fish, plus large pieces, nativity sets and anything marked limited, members only or chapel exclusive.
- Price the set-aside pieces individually using sold listings.
- Sell everything else as lots, grouped by theme (nativity, Christmas, wedding, baby) or simply in boxes of 20 to 30.
- Expect local dealers and consignment shops to pay $1-5 per common piece, because they need room to resell.
Online collector groups and marketplace listings reach the remaining buyers, many of whom are filling gaps in their own collections. The same patterns apply to other mass collectibles found with Precious Moments, such as Hummel figurines, collector plates and Depression glass. For the dishes in the same cabinet, see our guide to old china dinnerware, and for reading marks on other ceramics, how to read pottery marks.
Common mistakes
- Using 1990s price guides as current values. Most figures in those guides are several times what pieces sell for now.
- Reading the copyright year on the base as the year the piece was made.
- Assuming "retired" means valuable. Hundreds of designs were retired.
- Missing chips on ears, fingers and wing tips, which buyers always check.
- Removing or soaking off base stickers, which carry the style number.
- Listing every common piece separately, which takes hours for a few dollars each.
- Paying for an appraisal on a collection of common pieces. The fee often exceeds the value.
What to photograph
- The base, straight on, in good light, so the title, style number and annual symbol are readable. A phone flashlight held at a low angle helps the incised symbol show.
- The front of the figurine, in daylight, against a plain background.
- Close-ups of ears, hands and feet, showing any chips or repairs.
- The original box and its end label, if present.
- For a large collection: a group photo of everything, then base photos of only the no-mark and early-mark pieces.
When to get it looked at in person
For almost all Precious Moments collections, a formal appraisal is not worth the cost; a written appraisal typically costs $150-400, often more than the collection would bring. An estate sale company or a dealer in collectibles can give a working price for a whole collection, usually at no charge as part of an offer. An appraisal makes sense only for insurance or estate division when the collection includes many early no-mark pieces, large retired sets or rare exclusives. In that case, look for an appraiser who specializes in 20th century collectibles rather than fine art.