Aunt Jemima Cookie Jars

The search for Aunt Jemima Cookie Jars can have two different meanings.

Some use the name interchangeably with McCoy Mammy Cookie Jars and lump Aunt Jemima jars in with the Mammy jars, but I feel there is a distinction.

While both Mammy jars and Aunt Jemimia jars are highly collectible parts of African-American history, Aunt Jemima is a unique character. Not all Mammy jars depict that specific character. So you'll need to decide if you want jars that specifically show the traditional Aunt Jemima, or expand outward to Mammy jars as a whole.

The Quaker Oats Connection

The character of Aunt Jemima became property of Quaker Oats in the 1920s. She was made into two plastic jars for the syrup, both of which are very valuable today ($200-$500). And she was made into cookie jars.

The Aunt Jemima pictured above was made in the 1950s by Fiedler and Fiedler Mold and Dieworks. She is hard plastic and is marked F & F on the bottom. She was available as a mail in premium in the 1950s.

There was also a 10" soft plastic Aunt Jemima also made in the 1950s. She is pictured on the right.

The “real” McCoy

The McCoy company in Roseville, OH made 150,000 Mammy cookie jars in the early 1940s. When such images became unpopular, people threw out their jars. That means that the cookie jars in good condition are a rare find. Those that are in good condition can be worth over $1,000. Many people refer to the Mammy Cookie Jars as "Aunt Jemima". For more info go to McCoy Mammy Cookie Jars

Fakes & Reproductions

Note that as is the case with many collectible cookie jars, Aunt Jemima has many knock offs. A genuine jar will not have perfect paint. The cold painting process doesn't hold up well over the years so chips and/or craising is common.

The classic Aunt Jemima jars came in dark brown skin tone and black. There was also a plastic version made in 1950.

Vintage African American Memorabilia is becoming highly collectible. Aunt Jemima is one of the icons that people remember from Sunday morning breakfast. Finding Aunt Jemima Cookie jars in good condition can be very difficult but the effort is well worth it for an item that will continue to grow in value.

Here are the current listings on eBay:

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