Collecting Cookie Jars

Cookie Jars are one of the most popular large sized collectibles. Not only do they look great on display but for the most part they are very affordable. The jars themselves can come in plastic, glass or ceramic and can range from a simple cylinder to a highly detailed figurine. Most collectors get the figurines and these are the ones that generally go up the most in value. The average collector only buys one or two though which makes this a fairly limited market.Until the 1990's Looney Tunes jars were hard to find. Sure there have been some jars put out over the years but these are rarely seen and far out of the average collectors price range. Now you can walk into the nearest WB Store and always find five or six jars for sale for under $50 (Try a Six Flags park too if you live near one). Because of the many jars out now a much larger market has built up for them. You can find older ones for sale on most Cookie Jar websites and lots of them on EBay. This has also made them a better investment. Some jars from the late 1980's and early 1990's are now worth hundreds of dollars. The market for jars seems to be increasing every year and should make the popular ones go up even more.

Which jar to buy though is the question. Unless you are doing it strictly for an investment I say get what you like. If you want one to pass on to your kids though there are a few things to keep in mind. First is if it is a Limited Edition or not. A small edition adds value but more importantly these are seldom re-released. When a company puts out a jar again a few years later it cuts the value of the original issue because buyers can now get a jar that looks the same cheaper. Secondly look for ones that celebrate something. Holidays(so far only Christmas for LT), special events, and characters Birthdays or Anniversaries. The more people the jar appeals to the better. Third get a hard to find character. These typically drop in value when they are released but go up a lot after a few years when collectors haven't seen one in a while. Fourth try to remember that jars take a lot of space whether in storage or on display. It's nice to have a large collection but most people just don't have the room to display them. These simple rules will help at least narrow the field down a bit when you are out hunting.

Things to look for when Buying:
1. Manufacturing flaws. These come about when the jar is made and are usually small air pockets in the material or thin spots/runs in the paint.
2. Chips. Rims and Bases are the most common place for these. Remove the lid and inspect the inside of the jar also.
3. Hairline Cracks. These are small cracks that didn't quite break the jar. An easy way to spot them is to let a light reflect on the jar while turning it. Any hairline cracks will stand out under the reflection. You should beware of these because they can weaken the jar and make it very fragile.
4. Repair Work. The seller should state up front if any has been done. Being broken lowers the value at least 25%.
5. Cold Paint or Glaze. This is what type of coloring the jar had done. Cold paint is applied after the jar is fired and sometimes these peel. Glaze is much hardier. Most glazes are glossy and look like a clear coating over the paint.