How to Sell Damaged Figurines

Damaged figurines are still worth selling — typically £1 to £20 at For Parts, against £5 to £80 undamaged.

Can you sell figurines that are damaged?

Yes. Damaged stock has its own buyers: people who repair and restore, people who want the material rather than the object, and people who want a cheaper one and do not mind a flaw. Nobody should be surprised when it arrives.

The damage buyers look for on figurines

These are the flaws that move figurines down the grades, and the ones a buyer will check first:

Chips on extremities like fingers and ears
Restoration, which collectors discount heavily
Crazing in the glaze
Mass-produced modern figurines

Grading it honestly

Fair covers something heavily used, or with a described fault or missing part: around £2 to £36. For Parts covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen: roughly £1 to £20. Grades are seller-declared and nobody inspects them for you, so grading up does not raise what you get — it produces a buyer who arrives expecting something else. All five grades explained.

Working out what you actually have

Establish the flaw properly rather than guessing at it:

Photograph the backstamp on the base
Check every extremity for chips and repairs
Run a finger over the surface feeling for restoration

Photographing the flaw

Photograph the damage directly and in focus — it is the evidence that the rest of the description is honest:

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

What to state in the listing

Alongside the flaw itself, buyers of damaged figurines want these confirmed:

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

Maker, model and name: “Royal Doulton Figurine HN2000, Boxed”. Maker and model number are the searches, since collectors work from catalogues. Say boxed if you have the original box, which matters on collectable ranges.

What buyers will ask

Answer these in the listing rather than waiting to be asked:

“What is the model number?”

Photograph the base. Collectors identify and value figurines from the model number rather than the description, and it is almost always printed there.

“Is it damaged anywhere?”

Check every raised detail with a fingernail and under a light. Restored fingers and flowers are common and buyers grade heavily on them.

“Do you have the box?”

Say so. On collectable ranges the original box and certificate add real value and make the piece far safer to post.

Is it worth repairing first?

Only where it is cheap and visibly well done — a clumsy repair costs more than the flaw it hides. What lifts the price:

Recognised potteries and discontinued lines
Original backstamps intact
No chips, cracks or restoration
Original boxes and certificates

If the work would cost more than the gap between £20 and what sound ones fetch, sell them as they are damaged and let the buyer decide.

When to list it

Steady to a collector audience year round with a Christmas lift. Discontinued models and complete boxed examples sell fastest.

Getting it to the buyer

Wrap every extremity separately and double box. Figurines break at the thinnest point in transit and single boxing is the usual cause.

WishThrift does not process payments, arrange delivery or hold funds. Confirm the money has cleared before the item leaves your hands, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed.

Ready to list them? Free to list, no commission, and neither side pays a buyer-protection fee — create a free account, or read the full figurines selling guide if yours turns out to be sound.

Frequently asked questions

Can you sell damaged figurines?

Yes. Damaged figurines typically are worth £1 to £20 against £5 to £80 undamaged, and there is a real market in repair, restoration and craft stock. Chips on extremities like fingers and ears

Is it worth repairing first?

Only where the repair is cheap and visibly done well. What buyers pay for is recognised potteries and discontinued lines — a repair that draws attention to the flaw can leave you worse off.

How should I describe the damage?

Precisely, with a photograph of the flaw itself. Photograph the base. Collectors identify and value figurines from the model number rather than the description, and it is almost always printed there. Vague wording is what produces the message asking for a refund.