Sam Butcher's Precious Moments Figurine Value Guide

When Were They Made and How to Tell

Veronica Ritter, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Jul 29, 2008 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."

There are several things that should be taken into consideration when you are trying to determine your Precious Moments true value. These little sweetie's were created by Sam Butcher in memory of a son that he lost. Name, type, production number,production symbol, and status are all important things to know when buying or selling them.

The name of each figurine is printed on the bottom of the piece with only a few exceptions: when it is very petite and part of a set, or if it is a very early dated piece. The production number is listed on the bottom of most figurines. This is a three - seven digit number. Three and four digit numbers will have a letter prefix to distinguish what club they are from. Often the earliest regular production pieces were 4-digit with an "E" prefix. No two pieces will ever have the same production number.The production symbol or mark, is used to identify when a figurine was actually produced.

Triangle - Late 1981
Hourglass - 1982
Fish - 1983
Cross - 1984
Dove - 1985
Olive Branch - 1986
Cedar Tree - 1987
Flower - 1988
Bow & Arrow - 1989
Flame - 1990
Vessel - 1991
G-Clef - 1992
Butterfly - 1993
Trumpet - 1994
Ship - 1995
Heart - 1996
Sword - 1997
Eyeglasses - 1998
Star - 1999
Egg - 2000
Sandal - 2001
Cross in Heart - 2002
Crown - 2003
Three-Petal Flower - 2004
Bread - 2005
House - 2006

Unmarked pieces may have been produced in error. If the piece was not produced before 1981 it may be of greater value unless, the piece was made exclusively for the Precious Moments Chapel in Carthage, MO. All of the first year's production at the Chapel were left unmarked.

Contrary to belief, the copyright date printed on the base is of little importance when determining value.

All Precious Moments have a "status." A figurine will be either suspended, retired, or still in production.

Of course, these are not the only things to consider when evaluating the value of your collection. You may also need to consider the condition of the figurine. Is it cracked, chipped, or glued back together? Also, you will want to know if it is in it's I would also greatly recommend the "Precious Moments Collectors Guide". It is a guide to help distinguish true Enesco items from the counterfeit pieces. It tells you what markings your items should and should not have and what fake pieces may have on them or lack. In the end, a little common sense will go a long way. "If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is."

Published by Veronica Ritter

View profile

Sam Butcher's Precious Moments Figurine Value Guide

When Were They Made and How to Tell

14 Comments

Yahoo! Voices

Also on Yahoo!

Yahoo! Contributor Network