Crafting cookie jars from 1910 to 1990, the McCoy Pottery Company produced jars in a variety of shapes and sizes. The cookie jars made by the McCoy Pottery Company often playfully depict animals or characters. Roosters, cats, and clowns were often images on the cookie jars. When speaking about the value of McCoy Cookie Jars, the jar’s rarity, condition, and design have a vast impact on the current price fetched at resale. If you are someone who is interested in starting a collection of vintage McCoy Cookie jars, familiarizing yourself with the different styles and designs produced over the years can help you make informed purchasing decisions in order to build a beautiful and valuable collection.
The McCoy Cookie Jars were often glazed in vibrant and eye-catching colors which would brighten up any kitchen. They were fun but also functional. Whether you’re a collector, a fan of vintage kitchenware, or simply someone who loves beautiful, functional pieces, vintage McCoy cookie jars are a great choice. In this article, we will take a look at some beautiful examples of the McCoy company’s cookie jars and their price guides.
The History of McCoy Cookie Jars
In 1911, the Brush company and J. W. McCoy Pottery Co. merged together to form the Brush-McCoy pottery. When McCoy’s son Nelson founded his own business, the two companies eventually went their separate ways not long after. McCoy closed its doors in 1990, but the company’s decorative stoneware continues to be highly sought-after and a favorite among collectors.
How to Identify a McCoy Cookie Jar
The McCoy Cookie Jars came in so many shapes and designs, which can make it difficult to know if you have an original or a fake. Here are some tips for identifying your cookie jar:
The McCoy Mark
Most McCoy cookie jars will have a maker’s mark stamped on the base or hand-incised on the bottom. If the piece does have a maker’s mark it will read ‘McCoy’ or ‘Nelson McCoy Pottery’. While the absence of a marking does not mean that the pottery you have on hand is a reproduction, generally speaking, a McCoy cookie jar does have a stamp.
Identifying a Fake McCoy Cookie Jar
There were many copycat cookie jars out there and it is best to refer to a definitive list (which we’ll provide below) of all of the shapes actually made by McCoy. This will help to identify whether the piece of pottery you have on hand is an authentically McCoy company make or a fake/forgery. McCoy Cookie Jars were also produced from the 1930s until the 1980s, so if the cookie jar you have on hand is more recent than that, it will not have been made by the McCoy company.
Identify the Pattern Using this List
Full INDEX of McCoy Cookie Jars
The following list is comprised of McCoy Cookie Jars dating from the Late 30s to the Present day. Each Cookie Jar is listed by year, not by “Number”.
#2, Concave Shape, Yellow clay, floral decoration., Produced in the mid-’30s hey
#1, Ball Shape, Honeycomb design on heavy pottery., Produced in the late ’30s hey
#3, Old Milk Can Shape, tall, hand decorated, molded handles, Produced from 1939-1944 hey
#4, Bean Pot Shape, 4-quart, open handles, hand decorated., Produced from 1939-1944 hey
#5, Bean Pot Shape, 6-pint, open handles, hand decorated., Produced in 1939 hey
#6, Tilt Pitcher, cookie jar or beverage pitcher., Produced in 1939 hey
#7, Round Ball Shape, 6-pint, molded handles., Produced from 1939-1944 hey
#8, Mammy with Cauliflowers, hand decorated, basic white., Produced in 1939 hey
#10, Hillbilly Bear, Limited, Produced in the early 1940s hey
#15, Hobnail Pattern, round ball shape., Produced in 1940 hey
#18, Penguin, Called this in the catalogs., Produced in 1940-43 hey
#12, Concave Shape, hand decorated., Produced in 1942 hey
#16, Cookie Boy, Hand decorated in plain colors, Produced in 1944 hey
#17, Mammy, Originally made with lettering., Produced in 1944-47 hey
#19, Clown, Bust hand decorated, Produced in 1945-47 hey
#20, Elephant, With split trunk., Produced in 1945 hey
#21, Barrel Shape, Shape like Dutch Boy cookie jar, Produced in 1945 hey
#22, Bear, Cookie in vest., Produced in 1945. hey
#23, Turkey, Hand decorated in white or brown., Produced in 1945 hey
#25, Dutch Girl, round shape., Produced in 1946 hey
#26, Dutch Boy/Dutch Girl, barrel shape., Produced in 1946 hey
#28, Cylinder, block handles, half circle finial., Produced in 1946-1954 hey
#30, Square Jar, hand decorated, Produced in 1947 hey
#31, Hexagon Jar, square handles., Produced in 1947 hey
#33, Bunch of Bananas, , Produced 1948-52 hey
#34, Hobby Horse, hand decorated., Produced from 1948-53 hey
#36, Mother Goose, Hand Decorated., Produced 1948-52 hey
#20, Apple, Yellow or aqua., Produced in 1950-64 hey
#56, Two Kittens in a Basket, Made in 1950’s, Produced in 1950’s hey
#18, Pear, Basic yellow or aqua., Produced 1952-57 hey
#38, Owls, Mr. and Mrs. Owl, Produced 1952-55 hey
#37, Decorated Honey Bear, On the side of a tree., Produced 1953-55 hey
#40, Clown, In barrel., Produced 1953-55 hey
#41, Elephant, All of trunk on lid., Produced in 1953 hey
#24, Kittens on Ball of Yarn, Three little kittens., Produced 1954-55 hey
#50, Indian, First models made for Pontiac Motors, Produced from 1954-56 hey
#50, The Original Pontiac Indian, , Produced from 1954 , I think ? hey
#52, Pineapple, Natural Colors, Produced 1955-57 hey
#53, Pumpkin, Jack-o-Lantern, Produced 1955 hey
#54, Strawberry, Red with white drip glaze with green cover., Produced from 1955-57 hey
#20, Apple, Red with gold leaf., Produced in 1956-57 hey
#55, Rooster, Introduced in 1956 with brown blend., Produced in 1956-58 hey
#97, Stage Coach, hand decorated., Produced in 1956 hey
#126, Kitten on Basketweave, White cover with pink base., Produced from 1956-59 hey
#127, Lamb on Basketweave, Brown cover with brown base., Produced 1956-57 hey
#128, Dog on basketweave, Black cover, with black cover., Produced in 1956 and 1957 hey
#129, Duck on Basketweave, Yellow cover with yellow base, Produced in 1956 hey
#132, Humpty Dumpty, Huxford lists it as #132, Produced around 1956? hey
#136, Cookie Cabin, Ivory with brown., Produced 1956-60 hey
#137, Teepee, Hand decorated, Produced 1956-59 hey
#138, Floral Cookie Jar, Plain oval shape., Produced 1956-57 hey
#133, Pine Cones on Basket weave, , Produced in 1957 hey
#134, Apples on Basket weave, , Produced in 1957 hey
#135, Pears on Basket weave, , Produced in 1957 hey
#140, Davy Crockett, Hand decorated., Produced in 1957 hey
#139, Hen on Nest, Brown hen and yellow nest., Produced 1958-59 hey
#143, Lollipops, White with hand-painted lollipops., Produced from 1958-60 hey
#144, Jug (Cookie Jug), Two sizes., Produced 1958-70 hey
#145, Modern, white with red “Cookies”, Produced in 1958 hey
#147, Barrel, “Cookies” sign on front., Produced 1958-68 hey
#151, Cookie House, , Produced 1958-60 hey
#153, Wren House, “Two Colors”, Produced 1958-60 hey
#155, Tulip, “Flower Pot Shape”, Produced 1958-59 hey
#156, Corn, “Ear of Corn”, Produced 1958-59 hey
#174, Christmas Tree, Hand decorated., Produced in 1959. hey
#148, Covered Wagon, “Cookies Wagon”, Produced 1960-61 hey
#170, Drum, , Produced 1960 hey
#171, Kookie Kettle, , Produced 1960-77 hey
#172, Chipmunk, , Produced 1960-61 hey
#173, Globe, Aqua, Produced 1960-63 hey
#175, Animal Crackers, , Produced in 1960 hey
#28, Wheat on Mother of Pearl Glaze, , Produced in 1961 hey
#28, Amberware Finish, Brown jar, yellow “Cookies”, Produced in 1961 hey
#157, Fruit in Basket, “Bushel Basket”, Produced in 1961 hey
#158, Gingerbread Boy, “On barrel shape”, Produced in 1961 hey
#207, McCoy Train Engine Cookie Jars, , Produced in 1962-64 hey
#146, Barrel, “Cookies” sign on front., Produced 1969-72 hey
#145, Cookie Jug, New design, Produced 1971-78 hey
#148, Bear, “Hamm’s Bear”, Produced 1972 hey
#150, Pig, “Winking Pig”, Produced 1972 hey
#151, Rag Doll, “Raggedy Ann”, Produced 1972-75 hey
#152, Barnum’s Animals, “Nabisco Wagon”, Produced 1972-73 hey
#153, W.C. Fields, “Snack Jar”, Produced in 1972-1974 hey
#154, Early American Milk Can, , Produced 1972-74 hey
#156, Canister, “Flower Burst”, Produced 1972-73 hey
#157, Pepper, , Produced 1972-80 hey
#158, Burlap Bag, “Two different covers”, Produced 1972-77 hey
#159, Grandma, “Granny”, Produced 1972-75 hey
#141, Panda Bear, , Produced in 1978 hey
#142, Bear and Barrel, Hand decorated., Produced in 1978. hey
#143, Bear and Beehive, Hand decorated, Produced 1983-1987
Examples of McCoy Cookie Jars & Their Values
The value of a McCoy Cookie Jar is dependent on the condition, the age, and the rarity of that specific piece. Generally speaking, the basic shaped/colored McCoy Cookie Jars will sell for up to $50 USD, the less common shaped/colored jars for up to $100 USD, and the rare shaped/colored jars sell for up to $500 USD. If the McCoy Cookie Jar is a highly sought-after shape and color, the auction price may even exceed $500 USD.
Collectors often look for McCoy cookie jars in good condition with no chips, cracks, or discoloration. McCoy cookie jars from the 1940s and 1950s are particularly desirable. Some of the most valuable and sought-after McCoy cookie jars include the McCoy Circus Elephant, the McCoy Snowman, the McCoy Dutch Boy, the McCoy Big Top Clown, the McCoy Flying Saucer, the McCoy Santa Head, the McCoy Christmas Tree, the McCoy Drummer Boy, and the McCoy Uncle Sam. The most expensive McCoy cookie jar to date, sold at auction was a rare McCoy Flying Saucer cookie jar, which sold for $12,000 in 2011.
When speaking about other valuable McCoy Cookie Jars, the cookie jars produced in the early years of the company’s production also fit into the most valuable category. The Mammy with Cauliflower cookie jar is thought to be the first crafted by the McCoy company and thus is highly desired by keen collectors. The Mammy with Cauliflower cookie jar can fetch anywhere between $600 to $1000. Jars made by the McCoy company although commissioned by brands such as Coca-Cola and Harley Davidson are also valuable pieces at auctions today.
Jars crafted by the McCoy company although commissioned by brands such as Coca-Cola and Harley Davidson are also valuable pieces at auctions today. These jars featured the iconic Coca-Cola logo, as well as other company logos, and often had a bright, fun design. Later jars had more intricate designs, and some even featured a “Coke Girl” with her hands on her hips. Generally, these jars can range in price from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars.
Here you’ll find just a few McCoy cookie jars and their prices available on eBay.
ANTIQUE MCCOY COOKIE JAR (ICE CREAM CHURN / COFFEE GRINDER DESIGN ) – $3,500.00
McCoy Ltd. Gold Bow Christmas Tree Cookie Jar #277/575 Signed by Both McCoys! – $2,000.00
Rare Vintage Handle Eggplant glazed Cookie Jar Hard to Find Rare 1950’s Large – $700.00
After viewing all the vibrant McCoy Cookie Jars, you might be questioning if they will actually keep your cookies fresh.
Yes, vintage McCoy cookie jars can keep food fresh, provided they are in good condition and can be properly sealed. The jar should not have any cracks, chips, or other damage that could allow air and moisture to get in and spoil the food. If you intend on using the jar you purchase to store food in, ensure the seal is in good condition, alternatively, you might choose to pre-wrap the contents you pop inside.
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