Advertising is my first love in cookie jar collecting. I'm not sure what it is about them, perhaps it's the usually graphic designs, great colors or maybe it's just the memories that come flooding back. Since advertising is a popular subject for many cookie jar collectors, I've come up with a list for beginning collectors. Some of these jars will take a little bit sleuthing to find, but they all should be "findable", with reasonable prices.
Here is the first half of my baker's dozen of top advertising cookie jars, chosen not for price or values, but as examples of what a classic advertising cookie jar should be.
Keebler Elf
Barb CrewsWho doesn't love Ernie the baking elf? This is the first Keebler jar produced for the company. It's a jar by F & F Dieworks. Alas, it's hard to find in excellent condition because of the brittle plastic.
Learn more about Keebler jars.
M & M Cookie Jar
©Barb CrewsWho doesn't like M & M candy and it's hard to find an M & M jar that I don't like, if only there weren't so many of them to choose from. The numbers are almost rivaling the number from Coca Cola.
So for this list let's go with the first one, not quite as colorful as the more recent cookie jars, but the characters still have that great look.
Learn more: M & M Jars
© Barb CrewsThere were a few Mr. Peanut jars produced over the years, including numerous fakes of glass counter jars and a fake of this one too -- marked McCoy of course.
This 1990 version from Benjamin Medwin is a look at the classic Mr. Peanut character and a great addition to an advertising collection.
Learn more about Mr. Peanut jars.
© Barb CrewsNabisco and Oreo have really come through for collectors over the past two decades with loads of great jars depicting one of America's favorite store-bought cookie, Oreo.
It was a little hard to decide which Oreo jar is a favorite, as there so many neat pieces. So I went with price and easy-to-find for this pick.
This Oreo jar was readily available in discount stores during the holiday season, selling for around $10. But even at that price, it's nicely made and sure makes me want to have an Oreo cookie or two.
More:Oreo jars
Pillsbury Doughboy
©Barb CrewsPoppin' into the scene in a 1960s crescent roll commercial, the Pillsbury doughboy stole our hearts and found an immediate niche in the collecting world. There are quite a few Pillsbury Doughboy cookie jars, including UK versions, look-a-likes and a slew of them made by Benjamin Medwin (in slightly different poses).
But for the my Bakers dozen, here is the first jar that I am aware of featuring the doughboy. Produced by Holiday Designs of Sebring, Ohio.
Barb CrewsQuaker Oats is a must jar that to be added to the list of top advertising jars. Quaker Oats is another company that offered several different jars over the years.
Starting off with a rare McCoy jar, the most recent 120th Anniversary edition (very similar to one shown), a UK version, a Quaker's Oats that looks like their old bags and the one shown here, Regal China's version for the 100th anniverary of the company.
More: Quaker Oats Jars
