If you’ve seen a whimsical cookie jar on someone’s counter, it’s likely by McCoy Pottery. Vintage McCoy cookie jars are arguably the most popular used cookie jars on the market, and there are several timeless styles that we love.
McCoy Cookie Jar History
The Nelson McCoy Sanitary Stoneware Company was founded in 1910. The company manufactured various pottery pieces out of their facility in Roseville, Ohio, but they didn’t start producing cookie jars until the 1930s. Dozens of cookie jar designs were manufactured until the early 1990s when the company shut down.
Several rare cookie jar examples from McCoy pottery sell for hundreds or thousands of dollars, like this “Freddie the Gleep” cookie jar that sold for $800 in late 2021 on eBay. However, most cookie jars sell between $30 – $80 when they are a common design in good condition.
Reproduction Alert
There are several McCoy cookie jar reproductions on the market. Some companies make cookie jars in designs that the McCoy Pottery never made. Collectors can quickly identify these fakes because they aren’t in official McCoy’s catalogs. However, some companies reproduce similar or identical designs to the originals, and these pieces also have the McCoy hallmark. Fortunately, these reproductions tend to be of lower quality, which makes them easier to spot. You can find more information on spotting copies in the resource section below.
Our Favorite Cookie Jar Designs
Below you’ll find our top picks of McCoy cookie jars on the market along with the date of manufacture. Keep in mind that any food-related pottery item produced before the 1950s might have lead in the glaze, which means it may not be safe to store cookies or food directly in the pottery. Consider adding a liner in this case.
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