Christmas collectibles: Feature Article
Christmas collectibles are some of the most memorable parts of Christmas. Most Christmas collectibles are figurines, or ornaments. Most people will carefully store their Christmas collectibles each year and lovingly pull them out for display during the holiday season.
Where can you buy Christmas collectibles?
Christmas collectibles can be purchased new or used on the Internet. There are some specialty type shops that sell Christmas collectibles, but the best sources for them are online, as there is more variety to choose from and more vendors. You can also try buying Christmas collectibles on online auction sites. These are sites like eBay, Overstock, and more.
What you should know about Christmas collectibles?
In many cases it is cheaper to buy new collectibles then it is to buy the older ones. If it is a collectible, it is usually worth more the older or rarer it is. So, used Christmas collectibles are the way to go, the problem is, this means you need to do your best to stay up to date on the value of collectibles so that you do not overpay for them.
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When purchasing Christmas collectibles you will want to shop around to see what Christmas gift collectibles have increased in value and, what if anything is appropriate to pay in terms of increased costs.
Helpful Resources: eBay Buying Guide This is a buying guide from ebay for how to buy collectibles on their site. It offers some very valuable information on Christmas collectibles, such as what the terminology is, and how to find good deals. Affordable Christmas Collectibles Christmas Collectible Articles Purchasing Christmas Collectibles Christmas Tree Collectibles Christmas Gift Collectibles Railroad Christmas Collectibles Vintage Christmas Collectibles |
To determine how much you should expect to pay for Christmas collectibles, start by looking on a site like eBay that has a lot of them, then search Completed Listings. This will help you to find out what similar items sold for on eBay in the past 14 days.
Some Christmas collectibles are more popular than others. Some are also much more valuable than others. Popular Christmas collectibles include Precious Moments figurines, Franklin Mint Christmas gift collectibles, and Lenox Christmas collectibles. Most of these popular vendors typically create new Christmas collectibles every year.
If you buy Christmas collectibles from online auction sites, you are buying from a stranger, which means you are not always guaranteed to get a quality product. So check seller ratings, and be careful to buy collectibles from sellers that have positive reviews.
Let's look at some of the types of Christmas collectibles each of these vendors offer:
Lenox offers Christmas collectibles in the following genre:
- Christmas ornaments
- Christmas tree decorations
- Snowmen figurines
- Santa Claus figurines
- Popular Christmas characters
- Lenox nativity sets
- Figurines of the Christmas Grinch, Tweety Bird, Snoopy, Whooville figurines, Rudolph, Charlie Brown, Sylvester, and the Tasmanian devil.
Franklin Mint offers Christmas collectibles in the following genre:
- Porcelain doll Christmas collectibles
- Fire trucks
- Cars
- Weapons for display
- Jewelry
Hallmark Precious Moments offer Christmas collectibles in the following genre:
- Figurines of children
- Other Hallmark Christmas collectibles
- Christmas ornaments
When purchasing Christmas collectibles you need to understand the terminology involved. When buying from the internet there are usually going to be some acronyms and terms you should know because they will help you make better decisions on the value of the collectible. The following are the most commonly used terms you ought to know:
Limited edition (LE): This refers to a Christmas collectible that may be limited by a specific, announced number (such as 5,000 or 10,000), or by time period. Sometimes vendors only make a few thousand of the items in order to make them more valuable. If someone claims to have a limited edition collectible, you ought to know that typically such collectibles will show two sets of numbers, usually on the back or base of the item. The higher number indicates the total number produced, and the lower number indicates which one you (or a seller) have. Also, limited editions often come with a Certificate of Authenticity (COA), so if someone is selling the collectible online, check to see if they have this certificate.
Firing limit: Ok, there are certain companies such as Avon, Bing & Grondahl, Bradford Exchange, Franklin Mint, Danbury Mint, Hamilton Collection, Knowles, and Royal Copenhagen that choose to set a firing limit. A firing limit means that they only make a collector plate during a specified number of firing days. This also means that a series of collector plates, with a lower firing limit will typically have fewer plates produced, which often makes a plate more desirable to collectors.
Annual edition: Annual edition collectibles are collectibles where one item is produced each year. So, for example, Precious Moments has annual edition ornaments, and so do other vendors. Sometimes these have the year on them, sometimes they do not.
Open edition: Open edition collectibles are collectibles that are not limited and could still be in production, which usually means they are less valuable. It also means you could probably buy it new.
Artist proof (AP): Artist proof collectibles are collectibles that are set aside for the artist. This usually means they are more valuable.
Of course, there are other terms you should know as well if you are going to buy on auction sites. The following are some common abbreviations used in Christmas collectible item listings on sites like eBay:
NR: No reserve. This simply means that the seller has not set a minimum price for sale. So, if no one else bids on it, or very few people do, you could potentially get it for a steal.
MIB: Mint in Box. A new, never displayed item in mint condition. This means it has not been removed from the box.
NIB: New in Box. A new, never displayed item. This means that it is not just in new condition, but it is actually new.
COA: Certificate of Authenticity. This means that it really is part of a limited edition collection, etc.
BNB: Brand New Boxed. This means it is new, still in the box.
NLA: No longer available. When it comes to collectibles, this means it is no longer in production, and that it is no longer available in stores.
Ok, now that you know what you ought to know about Christmas collectibles, and the terminology that you need to know to be a smart consumer, let's take a look at some of the most common Christmas collectibles and the most popular:
Christmas ornaments:
Christmas ornaments can set the theme of your Christmas tree or make charming decorations year-round. Some of the most common or most traditional choices include Precious Moments ornaments, Hummel ornaments, and Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments. These are a great way to show Christmas spirit, and to start Christmas traditions. Of course, you can get ornaments that are fancier than those offered by Precious Moments. Lenox offers silver or hand-painted fine china ornaments. Margaret Furlong ornaments are often simple, but also are ivory ornaments in the shape of angles, snowflakes, and more. Christopher Radko ornaments are also popular. This designer offers more than 10,000 designs today. These are handcrafted European mouth-blown glass ornaments. These ornaments are painted by hand. They have lots of different designs, from reto American to classic holiday themes. In addition to the traditional ornaments, you can get ornaments that come in shapes of your favorite characters.
Snow-covered villages:
Snow covered villages are a fun Christmas collectible. They help to create a winter wonderland. These collectibles include miniature buildings and bundled-up figures, some have horses pulling carriages, others have ponds with skaters. These villages can be representations of small town America, or villages from other places. Dept 56 has the largest selection of villages on most auction sites online. They come in many types, from Victorian England, New York villages, small town America, and more. Of course, there are also Hallmark villages, Precious Moments villages, and many other collectible villages available.
Christmas collector plates:
Collectors plates have been around since 1895. Bing & Grondahl created the first Christmas collectibles that came in the forms of plates. Of course, from there, the popularity increased. Others started making Christmas collector plates as well. Some of the most popular plates include: Royal Copenhagen Christmas plates, Rosenthal Christmas plates, Bareuther Christmas plates, and Svend Jensen Christmas plates, as well as Norman Rockwell Christmas plates. Some have a set a firing limit, meaning that they only make a collector plate during a specified number of firing days. These are more valuable.
Christmas figures and figurines:
Santa figures and Santa figurines are a very popular Christmas collectibles. You can find Santa's from every part of the world, as well as others to keep him company, like reindeer, Mrs. Claus, and more. You can also find religious figurines, such as angels. The most popular vendors of Christmas figures and figurines include: Norman Rockwell Christmas figurines, Precious Moments Christmas figurines, or Christmas Hummel figurines. Of course there are many other vendors, and all have their own unique appeal.
Nativity scenes:
Nativity scenes are yet another popular Christmas collectible, especially since they inspire the true meaning, and spirit of the holiday. They make great decorations, and come in every material and size you can think of. Popular manufacturers include: Enesco, Hallmark, Roman, Goebel, Hummel, Precious Moments, Lenox, and Dept 56.
