The original 21 Precious Moments figurines were released to worldwide acclaim, kickstarting a new era of collecting and gift-giving, the Precious Moments website states.

By 1995, there were more than 500,000 Precious Moments club members in the United States and more than 30,000 shops selling the figurines at prices ranging from $25 to $300.

For a time, the Precious Moments Care-a-Van — an 18-wheeler kitted out like a museum, filled with figurines and dioramas that told Butcher’s life story — toured the country.

The widespread appeal of Precious Moments, however, is likely tied to their cute and nostalgic look as well as their being works of art.