Remember those Precious Moments figurines from approximately… wow, 40 years ago?! If you still happen to have some around, they are officially considered vintage collectibles, and certain figurines could be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
There's now a "thriving online market" for classic Precious Moments figurines, Today reports. While the value of each sculpture varies greatly, the most prized one has been valued at upward of $2,000.
It's called "God Loveth a Cheerful Giver," and it depicts a girl and a wagon full of free puppies. A more common price for the figurine, based on recent eBay sales, is more like $200.
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But still, that's a lot of money for something that's probably covered in dust in your house somewhere! It's a great profit, too, considering how inexpensive these figurines were back in the '80s.
Aside from "God Loveth a Cheerful Giver," there are other Precious Moments figurines that can fetch a hefty price.
Precious Moments figurines were first released in 1979. The Original 21 collection was sold in gift shops all over the country, and the sculptures became a staple collector's item for a whole generation.
Four decades later, the figurines are less popular as gifts — but they're now considered a vintage collectible with a market of their own.
The Original 21 pieces are particularly coveted, and one in particular is the most prized of the collection: "God Loveth a Cheerful Giver."
This figurine originally sold for $5. You can now sell it for at least a couple hundred bucks on eBay.
The one shown here is cracked, and it's still listed for $155.
If you're lucky, you could earn much more. Some "God Loveth a Cheerful Giver" figurines have reportedly sold for $750, and valuations have been placed on it "in excess of $2,000," Paul Burton, a spokesperson for Woolvey Fine Antiques & Collectibles, told Today.
"I don't believe I have seen one actually sell for more than half of that, although they are still occasionally listed for sale in that price range," Paul said.
Other items in the collection are also worth a lot of money, though that one is definitely the most valuable.
"There really isn't another stand-out I can think of that would be close to this price," Paul said.
In fact, before you get your hopes up too much, you should know that a lot of Precious Moments figurines aren't worth very much at all. On eBay, many of them sell in the under $30 range.
However, you could potentially make a lot of money if you have a valuable item like "God Loveth a Cheerful Giver," if you have the entire Original 21 collection, or if you have a limited-edition or discontinued item.
In general, the older your figurines are, the more you'll be able to sell them for.
So it's worth comparing whatever you have at home to online stores.
Paul told Today that your item will be worth more if it's in excellent condition. A small chip or crack can greatly reduce its worth.
Time to dig around the house to see if you have any of these still lying around! If you do find something that you'd like to sell, Paul suggests cleaning it well before listing it or bringing it to an antiques dealer.
Use a small makeup brush to dust the sculpture. You can also wash it with mild soapy water if necessary, being careful not to get any water inside.
And if you can't find any of these figurines lying around but still want to get in on the "making big bucks off of old stuff" party…
There are a lot of vintage toys and collectibles that are now worth a LOT more than they originally sold for.
Furbies, for example! This set of four Furbies is on sale for $1,000.
Also, the original Lite-Brite from 1967. Even newer versions can be worth hundreds of dollars (but not THAT new, though — the modern version of this toy is still being sold at toy stores, and that doesn't count).
Other toys that are worth $$$: Pez dispensers, Polly Pocket, Super Soakers, Transformers, My Little Pony, and Cabbage Patch Kids. Check out this $6,000 doll from 1986!
Oh, and of course Beanie Babies.
Lesson learned: It pays to hold onto things sometimes.
