What a fair price looks like
Condition on WishThrift is described by the seller against five grades, and nobody inspects them on your behalf — so the description and the photographs are what you are buying on.
| Condition | Typical | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| New with Tags | £80 (~$107) | Unused, tags or seals intact |
| Like New | £68 (~$91) | Barely used, no visible wear |
| Good | £52 (~$69) | Light signs of use, complete and working |
| Fair | £36 (~$48) | Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part |
| For Parts | £20 (~$27) | Not working or incomplete, sold as seen |
Sterling guide ranges with an approximate US dollar equivalent at £1 ≈ $1.33 (July 2026). Sellers set their own asking price; these are a starting point for judging an offer. All five grades explained.
The checklist before you pay
Undisclosed restoration and over-cleaning, both of which reduce value permanently and neither of which shows in a straight-on photograph.
Run through these before money changes hands — they are the things that decide whether figurines is worth what is being asked:
- Chips on extremities like fingers and ears
- Restoration, which collectors discount heavily
- Crazing in the glaze
- Mass-produced modern figurines
And the things worth paying more for, because they hold their value:
- Recognised potteries and discontinued lines
- Original backstamps intact
- No chips, cracks or restoration
- Original boxes and certificates
Common faults and fakes
Prints sold as originals, and reproductions sold as period pieces. Look at how the image sits on the surface: a printed dot pattern under magnification settles it.
Ask directly whether anything has been cleaned, restored or reframed, and ask for raking-light photographs taken from the side, which reveal surface repairs.
WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or grade anything, and no marketplace check replaces your own. If a seller will not answer a direct question about condition or origin, that is the answer.
Questions to ask the seller
These are the three that get asked most often about figurines, and the answers tell you most of what you need:
Photograph the base. Collectors identify and value figurines from the model number rather than the description, and it is almost always printed there.
Check every raised detail with a fingernail and under a light. Restored fingers and flowers are common and buyers grade heavily on them.
Say so. On collectable ranges the original box and certificate add real value and make the piece far safer to post.
Also worth establishing before you commit:
- Photograph the backstamp on the base
- Check every extremity for chips and repairs
- Run a finger over the surface feeling for restoration
Photographs to ask for
If the listing does not already show these, ask — a seller who has the item will send them in minutes:
- The figurine from the front, whole, on a plain background
- The base mark, filling the frame
- The piece from the back and side
- Every extremity close up, plus any chip, hairline or repair
Details to confirm before you commit
- Maker, model number and figure name from the base
- Height, and material — bone china, porcelain, resin
- Whether the original box and certificate are included
- Every chip, hairline, restoration and any crazing
Live figurines listings
Nothing matching is listed at the moment. Browse art & collectables for what is live now, or everything on the site — stock changes daily and new listings are free to post, so it is worth checking back.
When to buy
Steady to a collector audience year round with a Christmas lift. Discontinued models and complete boxed examples sell fastest.
Prices move against that cycle for a buyer: the cheapest time to buy is when sellers are listing most, not when demand peaks.
Paying and collecting safely
WishThrift does not process payments, hold funds or offer buyer protection — you agree the price and the method with the seller directly, which is what keeps the platform free on both sides. Meet somewhere public where you can, inspect before you pay, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed. Be wary of any seller who wants to move the conversation elsewhere before you have agreed anything.
Selling one instead?
If you already have figurines sitting unused, it is free to list and there is no commission — the price you agree is the amount you keep. Read how to sell figurines for what to photograph and how to price, or what figurines are worth at each condition grade.
Frequently asked questions
What should I pay for used figurines?
Around £3 to £52 in good condition, more for barely-used examples and less for anything with a described fault. Compare against the seller’s photographs rather than the grade alone.
How do I check figurines before buying?
Ask directly whether anything has been cleaned, restored or reframed, and ask for raking-light photographs taken from the side, which reveal surface repairs.
Is buying figurines second hand safe?
Yes, with the ordinary care any private sale needs. WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or hold funds, so inspect before you pay where you can, meet somewhere public, and keep the conversation on the site. Undisclosed restoration and over-cleaning, both of which reduce value permanently and neither of which shows in a straight-on photograph.
See also: all buying guides · figurines value guide · selling figurines · Art & Collectables · condition grades.