Gather up the beads you love before they are gone!  This is a huge list, but has been expected.  Trollbeads has brought in so many new beads  2009!  Periodically, beads are retired from the line, which is fun for collectors looking to invest for future trading. Most of these beads are still in stock and can be ordered, but when they are gone, no more will be made. 

 Retired beads are as follows:  Aztec, Tower, Five Faces, Castle, Petanque, Angles-Tip, Triangles, Frogs, Cactus, Hippopotamus, Duckling, Tupilak-Big, Tupilak-Mouth, Flounder, Bee on Hive, Sparrow, Neither Fish Nor Bird-Big, Eight Faces, Chat, Elf Bead, Polar Bear, Rhinoceros, Ladybug-Gold, Scarab-Gold, Capricorn, Taurus, Leo, Cancer/Pisces, Virgo, Libra/Sagittarius, Gemini, Aquarius, Scorpio/Aries, King & Queen, Red Bubbles, Twisted Bud, Lilac Shadow, Polka Dot, Orange Armadillo, Red Shadow, Lilac Edge, Mardi Gras, Green Flower, Green Eye Bead, Blue Flower Bud, Stripe of Fashion, Summer Bud, Circus, Lime, Double Flower, Banana, Red Berries, Rod, Elton, Carly, Dolly, Freddie, ABBA, Mexico Lock and last but not least, the Pearl Drops in Pink, White, and Black.

    I have had the good fortune to find a small number of Green Lilac Armadillos from the Tibet series that I am able to offer for sale.  This is a gorgeous bead and is a must for every collector.  This bead will be listed under Retired Beads in my catalogue.  Happy Collecting!

There is no time like now to begin collecting Trollbeads.  The Green Lilac Armadillo is another fine example of a most desirable bead!  Introduced in the Spring of 2006 as part of a self sustainable business project to help Tibetan refugees.   The project was short lived, thus launching the Tibet set of six beads into the category of some of the most prized beads for collectors.  Included in the series are the Cappuccino, Ornament, Tibet, Kyang, and Takma.

Take for example this little bead called Aztec. The Aztecs reached their prime in the 15th century, when the Spaniards conquered them and destroyed their culture. Aside from their human sacrifices they where known for their amazing pottery, which is where the inspiration for this Trollbead has come.  A very similar bead called Najaho, #11139, was retired in March of 2006.  I own both beads and actually love the Aztec bead more, the design is the same, yet more intricate.

The first picture is Aztec, #11102, and the second picture is retired Navaho, #11139. 

Other beads to discuss are Frogs (Zuni inspired) and the retired Pueblo bead.

There is no time like now to begin collecting Trollbeads.  With the economy in the state it is, Lund Trading, the US distributor for Trollbeads has seen phenomenal growth this last year!  We all know how highly collectible the retired Trollbeads can be.   All of these were once in the line and sold for $21 to $35.  I’ve seen retired Trollbeads hit auction sites and sell from$50 to ove $400!  It has been over a year since any beads were retired and a new retirement list could come out at anytime.  Customers ask what they should buy and I always can offer just this advice:  Buy what you love and what you can afford.  All the retired beads go up in value.  The ones with the most demand seem to be the most hard to find and the most desirable.  Food for thought from the Trollbeads Trail.

The Original! Learn about past Trollbeads and how the company and the beads have grown since 1976. Published by Trollbeads in Denmark to recognize their 30th year as the original.

Lots of great photos and history and “beads to die for”. Plus insights into the people who bring all these great beads to life.

Click to read Trollbeads Magazine (pdf format, 6.5 mb).

And here is a zipped file copy if you want for your own download.

Retired beads are just that, retired and no longer available through Trollbeads. You can search online as they are collector’s items and some can still be found from time to time. Good luck searching.