Getting Into Blow Mold Collection
Blow molds are hollow plastic yard decorations made by heating plastic sheeting and blowing it into molds — most commonly seen as Christmas lawn displays like Santa, snowmen, and reindeer. Collecting them started picking up again around 2019 when people started realizing these were actually mid-century manufacturing artifacts, not just cheap seasonal junk. I've been collecting since about 2020 and have learned enough through trial and error that I figure I should write this down before someone asks me the same questions repeatedly. The Blow Mold Collectors Guide isn't really one single resource — it's a loose network of Facebook groups, eBay seller communities, and a few long forums where people trade photos and pricing. If you're looking for a formal guide to download, there isn't one. The closest thing is the Blow Mold Appreciation community on Facebook, which has over 40,000 members and functions as a living reference. I recommend joining that and using the search function before asking questions, because the same questions get asked weekly.
Blow Mold Collectors Guide: Where to Start
Start by understanding the difference between vintage and modern blow molds. Anything made before roughly 1990 is generally considered vintage. These were produced by companies like Union Products, Empire Novelties, Pacific Giftware, and Gemmy Industries (who bought a lot of the older tooling). Post-1990 pieces tend to have thicker plastic, more uniform coloring, and sometimes visible seam lines that are rougher. The vintage pieces often have a slight translucence when held up to light — modern ones are usually opaque and flat-looking. Here's what nobody tells you: condition matters way more than rarity in this hobby. A common vintage piece in mint condition will outvalue a rare piece with sun damage, cracks, or repair tape. I learned this the hard way when I bought what I thought was a rare 1960s Gemmy ice skater for $85 — turned out the legs had been broken off andepoxy'd back on. The seller hadn't disclosed it. I sold it at a loss to a guy who knew what he was looking at.
How to Authenticate and Grade
Grading blow molds is informal but follows rough standards. Here's the scale most collectors use: Mint: No fading, no cracks, original lights work, no repairs, mold marks are clean. This is rare for anything older than 1980 because these were designed to be dragged across lawns, not preserved in climate control. Excellent: Minor fading, maybe a small crack that's been properly repaired, all original parts present. This is where most good collecting happens.
Get the Full Details
Good: Noticeable sun fading, some damage or missing pieces, possibly non-original replacement lights. Still displayable. Fair: Significant damage, heavy fading, structural issues. Only worth it if it's something extremely rare where even a project piece has value. To authenticate, check the mold marks. Vintage Union Products pieces often have "Union Products Co." or "Made in USA" stamped into the plastic near the base or on the back. Gemmy pieces from the 1970s-80s may have a mold number or "Gemmy" branding. Empire Novelties pieces sometimes have the company name molded in. If there's absolutely no markings and the plastic feels thick and uniform, it might be a modern reproduction — these exist and they're growing more common.
Where to Buy and What to Watch For
eBay is the primary marketplace. Facebook Marketplace and local estate sales are where deals still hide. I once found a complete set of three vintage Gemmy reindeer for $30 at a garage sale in Ohio — they were sitting in a junk pile under some autumn leaves because nobody knew what they were. That's still possible if you look in the right places, but it's getting less likely every year. The biggest pitfall on eBay: photos that don't show the inside or the base. Sellers who won't photograph the interior are often hiding crack repairs. Molded repairs from the inside look like thick ridges of plastic — you can see them if someone just takes a photo from within the figure. Also watch for "vintage style" listings. Some sellers use that term to mean "I bought this at Walmart last week and it looks old." I also want to flag something that comes up constantly: light string compatibility. Vintage blow molds were designed for incandescent mini-lights. If you put LED strings in them, the heat profile changes and some of the older, more brittle plastic can crack over time — especially if the LEDs still put out a little warmth. I switched my entire collection to low-heat LED replacements about three years ago and haven't had a single crack related to it. But if you're buying vintage specifically to preserve it as-is, stick with period-correct bulbs even if they use more power.
Pricing Reality Check
This is where the hobby gets uncomfortable. Prices have gone up sharply since 2021. A standard vintage Santa that sold for $20-$40 in 2018 is now routinely $100-$200 in excellent condition. Common modern pieces from the 1990s can go for $50-$150. A full vintage set — like a family of four figures — can run $500 or more at auction. That said, not everything is worth money. Large blown figures made in the 1980s and 1990s that were mass-produced by the hundreds of thousands still sell for under $50 in fair condition. The market is selective. The valuable pieces are: pre-1970s Union Products, rare Gemmy prototypes, limited-run pieces, and anything tied to a specific historic display (like decorations that were part of a famous neighborhood display that was photographed and reproduced). If you're just starting out and don't want to spend a lot, look for the common vintage pieces in fair or good condition and restore them yourself. Replacement light sets run about $15-$25 on eBay. Cleaning is usually just mild soap and water with a soft brush — never use abrasive cleaners or pressure washers, which will degrade the plastic surface over time and make fading worse.
Storage and Display
Store blow molds indoors between seasons. UV exposure is the enemy — it fades colors permanently and makes plastic brittle. If you must display them outdoors, rotate them seasonally and bring them in during the summer. I keep mine in stacked bins in a climate-controlled basement, wrapped in bubble wrap with silica gel packets to manage moisture. They've been there since 2020 and the condition hasn't degraded at all. For display, most collectors use wooden or PVC stands because these figures weren't designed to stand freely — the bases are flat and narrow. A simple 2x4 with a cut in it works fine and costs about $5 at a hardware store. Nothing fancy needed. If you want to connect with other collectors, the Blow Mold Appreciation Facebook group is the main hub. There's also a smaller but active Discord server. Both are reasonably well-moderated and the people in them are generally helpful unless you're asking pricing questions that have been answered a thousand times. The community tends to be patient with genuine newcomers who do their homework first.
