Decorate Your Tree with Retired Christopher Radko Christmas Ornaments

Hundreds of Christopher Radko Christmas ornaments are designed each annually -- and each year, about one-third of the older designs are retired to create room for these new creations. Customer requests for Radko's beautiful retired designs continue without pause, making a strong secondary market. Radko Christmas ornaments are valued collectibles.

All of the Radko ornaments hold their value well, but the prices of some designs continue to rise along with customer demand. Radko's "Partridge In a Pear Tree", which cost $38.00 when it was introduced in 1993, has sold for as much as $1,000 to collectors. A adaptation of this piece, like some of his other favorites, was available again as a limited edition for the company's 20th anniversary collection.

Radko Christmas ornaments are retired for several reasons. Many are limited editions. Typically these designs are all sold within a season -- sometimes in a shorter period of time.

Radko has designed many limited-edition ornaments for charity groups or to celebrate special occasions. Groups like the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital® and the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center have all enjoyed his designs. Because these designs are in production for such a short time, many are highly collectible.

Demand is one thing that affects the price of retired Radko Christmas ornaments. Rarity is another. As with other collectibles, the rarer the item, the higher the value. Unique examples are in the greatest demand. On one occasion, Radko gave a custom-made ornament to everyone in the audience of The Donny and Marie Show, when he was a guest on the program. Now those ornaments are very valuable. In 1996, when "Circus Seal" was introduced, a few items were accidentally released painted lime green. Those seals, too, are very valuable to enthusiasts.

Condition is also important in determining value, as is retaining the original box. Some colors are more valuable than others, particularly the first color in a series. Signed items typically bring higher prices.

Because the value of these designs continues to rise, there are fake collectible Radko Christmas ornaments for sale. Some of them are made by machine, instead of being hand-made. Check the following details carefully:

High quality painting. Fakes are often carelessly painted and exhibit poor attention to detail. For example, the painted detail might not fit the detail found on the ornament; a lock of hair might be displaced or a ear might be crooked.

Radko tag. All the Radko Christmas ornaments have a tag attached that tells how the ornament was made.

Radko crown. All Radko Christmas ornaments have a copper crown with the company name stamped on it.

Smooth lacquer. The lacquer is always unmarked and even on a Radko ornament. The base coat will never show a drip.

If the ornament you're looking at meets this set of requirements, go ahead and take it home! It is likely to be a genuine Christopher Radko Christmas ornament.