Antiques Know How Research
Vintage Character Cookie Jars
Our in-depth research at Antiques Know How of hundreds of eBay sales shows that vintage character cookie jar values range from $100 to $800+, with rare full-figural Disney or American Bisque pieces exceeding $1,000. The most collectible pieces include American Bisque’s Popeye, Strawberry Shortcake jar, Hull’s Little Red Riding Hood, and Disneyland’s Dumbo. The value depends on the maker, licensing, condition, and rarity!
Antiques Know How
In this range, character cookie jars are among the most sought-after. Why? A pottery company needed a licensing deal to make these jars, and those agreements often lasted just a few years. The limited production run is what makes them rare.
And the fewer the number of pieces, the more desirable they are! In this guide, you will uncover some of the highly collectible character cookie jars in the market!
10 Valuable Vintage Character Cookie Jars to Find Now!
From Flintstone to Popeye and Mickey Mouse, below are some of the most popular and valuable character cookie jars that collectors are crazy for!
1. Popeye Cookie Jar – American Bisque
| Average Value | $200 to $1,000+ |
| Brand | American Bisque |
| Character | Popeye the Sailor Man |
| Production Period | Late 1950s to early 1960s |
| Collectibility | Very Collectible |
| Collector Notes | Handpainted marks on the bottom |
The Popeye series is among American Bisque’s most popular lines, and the Popeye head jar is one of the most valuable. It shows Popeye’s face with his signature squint, pipe, and sailor cap, finished in vibrant hand-painted colors!
Thanks to their popularity, single Popeye cookie jars can easily sell for $200 to $1,000+, depending on condition and design!
In addition to being among the most valuable lines, the Popeye series is also among the most counterfeited. So, make sure to check the impressed “USA” on the bottom edge and hand-painted numbers on the base, and measure the jar!
2. Strawberry Shortcake with Custard Cat Jar – American Greetings Corp.
| Average Value | $200 to $700+ |
| Brand | American Greetings Corp. |
| Character | Strawberry Shortcake with Custard Cat |
| Production Period | Early 1980s |
| Collectibility | Very Rare |
Strawberry Shortcake was one of the most adored characters of the 1980s. This ceramic jar, licensed from American Greetings Corp., features Shortcake as a full-bodied character in her strawberry-print hat with her cat, Custard!
Full figural versions of these ceramics are much rarer than the common glass canister jars featuring printed Strawberry Shortcake artwork from the same period!
Collector’s Note: Look for the printed “Strawberry Shortcake, TM / American Greetings Corp.” stamp on the bottom to authenticate the piece.
3. Little Red Riding Hood Jar – Hull
| Average Value | $200 – $500 |
| Brand | Hull Pottery |
| Character | Little Red Riding Hood (fairy tale) |
| Production Period | 1943 to 1957 |
| Collectibility | Highly Collectible |
| Collector Notes | The “closed basket” version is the rarest variant. |
Hull Pottery introduced the Little Red Riding Hood cookie jar in 1943 as shape #967. It was such a big hit that Hull had to partner with Regal China Company to meet demand.
The jar shows an adorable girl in an iconic red cape holding a basket, and it is almost 13 inches tall.
These are one of the most popular Hull pottery cookie jars, selling for $100 to $200, depending on the type of decoration and overall condition. Hull-made jars marked “Pat. Applied For” are usually more valuable than Regal China versions.
Note: Check the bottom for the engraved “Hull Ware/Little Red Riding Hood/Patent Applied For/U.S.A.” mark on the base to verify authenticity.
4. Black Cat Jar – McCoy Pottery
| Average Value | $300 to $600 |
| Brand | McCoy Pottery |
| Character | Coalby Cat (McCoy original design) |
| Production Period | 1967 |
| Collectibility | Highly Collectible |
| Collector Notes | “USA 207” mark on the base |
This all-black matte-glazed cat jar is one of McCoy’s rare designs. The Coalby Cat jar dates back to 1967. The jar has cold-painted facial details, such as green-colored eyes, a red tongue, and gold trim on the paws and whiskers.
The fact that the design is cold-painted means that most of the jars have lost most of the original painted details. This is why examples with intact cold paint are uncommon and could bring a few hundred dollars!
5. Sesame Street “Count Von Count” Jar – California Pottery
| Average Value | $100 to $200 |
| Brand | California Pottery |
| Character | Count Von Count (Sesame Street/Muppets Inc.) |
| Production Period | Late 1970s to 1980s |
| Collectibility | Collectible |
| Collector Notes | “Muppets Inc.” or Sesame Street licensing marks on the base |
This ceramic jar from the 1970s-80s shows the Count from Sesame Street in his full vampire cape! The jar is finely hand-painted in gray, green, red, and black. California Pottery produced a number of Sesame Street character jars licensed by Muppets Inc.
The Count Von Count jar is harder to find, but is less popular than the Cookie Monster (#970) or Big Bird jars from the same period!
6. Yogi Bear Jar – American Bisque
| Average Value | $150 to $400 |
| Brand | American Bisque |
| Character | Yogi Bear (Hanna-Barbera) |
| Production Period | 1961 |
| Collectibility | Moderately Collectible |
| Collector Notes | Marked “Hanna-Barbera Productions 1961 U.S.A.” on the base. |
American Bisque produced this cookie jar in 1961 when the Yogi Bear cartoon was at its peak. The jar is about 13.25 inches tall and shows the bear in a coat and tie with a box that reads “Better Than Average Cookies.”
Yogi’s head makes the jar’s lid handle, on which you’ll see a red tongue, which is originally made of felt.
Depending on the paint condition and whether original details like the felt tongue are intact, these jars can go for $150 to $400!
7. Disney Turnabout Mickey & Minnie Mouse Cookie Jar
| Average Value | $100 to $300+ (in good condition) |
| Brand | Leeds China Company (Marketer) |
| Character | Mickey Mouse/Minnie Mouse (Disney) |
| Production Period | 1944 to 1954 |
| Collectibility | Highly Collectible |
| Collector Notes | Original cold-painted finish easily fade |
This unique 1940s jar has a “Turnabout” design, meaning one side shows Mickey Mouse and the other shows Minnie. Leeds China marketed these under Disney’s license from 1944 to 1954, but they were produced by Ludowici Celadon, as well as American Bisque.
Original jars stand about 14.5 inches tall and are decorated with cold paint over glazing. This means that the paint can easily flake over time. Plus, there’s a carved “Patented” stamp, along with size and character names, on the base!
Note: Reproduction jars are usually painted under the glaze, making the paint permanent. And, the backstamp shows the misspelling “PATENDED” instead of “PATENTED.”
8. “The Rocketeer” Bulldog Cafe Jar – Treasure Craft
| Average Value | $125 to $200 |
| Brand | Treasure Craft (Disney) |
| Character | Bulldog Cafe (Disney’s The Rocketeer) |
| Production Period | 1991 to 1992 |
| Collectibility | Collectible |
| Collector Notes | Bulldog Cafe (Disney’s The Rocketeer) |
This jar was produced by Treasure Craft in 1991-92 as a tie-in with the Disney movie “The Rocketeer.” This jar comes in the shape of the diner from the movie, the Bulldog Cafe, with a bulldog-faced building, and it stands 10.75 inches tall and 13 inches long!
The real Bulldog Cafe was built as a movie set in 1990 and torn down in 1996. This makes the jar all the more unique. If you find one of these jars with the original Treasure Craft box, they can sell for anywhere from $150 to $250.
9. Disneyland “Dumbo” Cookie Jar
| Average Value | $500 to $800+ |
| Brand | Hagen Renaker Pottery |
| Character | Dumbo (Disney) |
| Production Period | Late 1950s to early 1960s |
| Collectibility | Very Rare |
| Collector Notes | “Disneyland” painted on Dumbo’s hat |
This Disneyland cookie jar was made by Hagen Renaker, a California pottery company, in the late 1950s to early 1960s. It’s shaped like the popular character, Dumbo, and was a park souvenir. You’ll see “Disneyland” painted on Dumbo’s sky blue hat.
Hagen Renaker made several Disney pieces from 1955 to 1960; the Dumbo jar is one of the rarest and most valuable!
10. American Bisque Flintstone Dino Jar
| Average Value | $150 to $400 |
| Brand | American Bisque |
| Character | Dino the Dinosaur (The Flintstones) |
| Production Period | c. 1961 |
| Collectibility | Highly Collectible |
| Collector Notes | A complete set with other characters is more valuable |
Apart from Popeye, American Bisque is known for its Flintstone-themed cookie jar line produced under the Hanna-Barbera license. This 15-inch-tall jar features Dino, the Dinosaur, carrying Fred’s golf clubs.
Flintstones jars are popular with both cookie jar collectors and Hanna-Barbera fans. Pristine examples with intact paint can go for $150 to $400!
How to Know If a Character Cookie Jar Is Valuable?
As you just saw, even old character cookie jars have a wide range of value. This is because the overall worth depends on several factors, which are:
- Maker & Marks: The maker is one of the biggest factors in determining old cookie jars’ value. Pieces made by a renowned brand are generally worth more. So, check the jar’s base to spot makers’ marks. And if you do happen to see one, make sure to check it out with real examples or marking guides.
- Licensing: Jars with licensed characters are more valuable than non-licensed ones from the same company. The licensing limited production, making the few existing pieces rare.
- “Character” Appeal: The more popular the character, the more valuable the cookie jar! The “crossover appeal” also boosts the value. The Holt-Howard Tiger jar, for instance, was a hit simply because it sat on top of the refrigerator in Joey and Chandler’s apartment on the popular TV show Friends!
- Paint Condition: Many vintage character jars used cold paint (applied after glazing, not fired), which chips and flakes over time. If a jar retains 90% or more of its paint, it will be very difficult to find and thus very valuable. Other damage, such as cracks and chips, also affects value.
Note: This article is intended for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. Some images are illustrative and may not represent actual brands, products, or related entities. All trademarks, product names, brand logos, packaging, and other intellectual property referenced remain the exclusive property of their respective owners. Any brand mentions or references are provided solely for descriptive and educational context and do not imply any formal or commercial association.
