Who Buys Collectible Plates

How to Sell Antiques and Collectibles on eBay...and Make a Fortune! gives you insider tips on untapped selling opportunities in this popular category including: buying tips for building your inventory; expert advice on evaluating the condition and appraising the value of your antiques and collectibles; proven ways to target customers; clear instruction on how to navigate the eBay network to sell antiques online and make it work for you; quick answers to questions about start-up costs, taxes, and legal issues; and reliable key words, descriptions, and images that will make your listings stand out and get results.

who buys collectible plates

Over the years, a whole host of bone china, porcelain and sterling silver companies have manufactured collectible plates featuring some of the most famous Norman Rockwell paintings, etchings and illustrations.

While collecting plates may have declined in popularity in recent years, and most Norman Rockwell plates will only fetch between $1 and $20, there are some rare limited edition plates which can sell for over $100 or even over $1000!

Join us to find out a little more about Norman Rockwell plates, how to identify genuine collectible plates, and a guide to the value of these renowned plates. We will also include a brief guide on buying and selling Norman Rockwell plates.

Due to the widespread popularity of Normal Rockwell paintings and illustrations, some of his original works were taken and turned into decorative plates. Surprisingly, it is hard to find reliable sources detailing a comprehensive list of the companies which produced Normal Rockwell plates. However, the main companies involved include:

The earliest Norman Rockwell plates were traditionally made from bone china. Since then, they have been crafted from a range of materials but primarily porcelain and some limited edition sterling silver examples.

As a rough guide, you can expect between $1 and $20 for an individual plate depending on the rarity and condition. Sets of plates tend to sell for more, as do those made from sterling silver or limited editions. Some plates have earnt hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

The top factors affecting value are rarity and condition. Generally speaking, it is only worth selling and buying those plates in mint condition, or at least extremely good condition. Any chips, scratches or signs of wear will greatly devalue these items. Plates which come with their original boxes or packaging, and a certificate of authenticity or other paperwork are worth a lot more.

Next up on our list is one of the limited edition Christmas plates, produced in sterling silver by the Franklin Mint. This plate was sold in 2020 for $254.15. It depicts a little boy helping his father to hang a Christmas wreath on the front door. The Christmas series were produce between 1970 and 1975. The preservation of the plate in mint condition within the original box (lined with satin) will really rack the price up.

Unsurprisingly, another of the sterling silver limited edition plated produced by the Franklin Mint makes it onto the list. This plate was produced in 1971, part of the second series of Christmas plates produced by this company. It sold for $199 in 2020. This Christmas plate depicts a loving older couple beneath a sprig of mistletoe.

Yet another sterling silver Franklin Mint Christmas series plate! These limited edition collectors plates are a good bet if you are looking to sell a very valuable Norman Rockwell plate. This particular plate sold for $180 in 2020. Produced in 1972, this plate was part of the thrid series of Christmas limited edition plates by the Franklin Mint. It features Christmas carol singers surrounding Father Christmas singing along in the center.

Search for the item you would like to buy, or for the item you would like to sell. Make sure you filter the results by painting, production year, and condition. This will help you to form a picture of how much a particular item in a particular condition is worth. Therefore, you can set the right price for your plate, or pay the right price for your new collectible.

When buying collectible plates, make sure you go for listings with plenty of detailed information and images. Only buy from reputable sellers with a positive selling history. Do not be afraid to ask for more details or close-up images of items you are interested in.

If you need to find out more about a particular item, or get it evaluated, you can try to find a local vintage crockery expert or reach out online. Bear in mind that appraisals are a pay-for service. Specialist forums where plate enthusiasts gather to discuss collectible plates, offer advice, and exchange precious items are another great resource. You can check:

Other possibilities: Check the prices in catalogs. For traditional collectibles, there are excellent guides to recent prices. For newer specialties, catalogs range from highly professional to spurious. Remember, all prices quoted are estimates. You may be able to get more or less, depending upon current demand and also geographic locale. (New York is the antique center; the Midwest is best for memorabilia.) You can also send a photograph of the piece to a reputable auction house.

Keeping etched plaques and your commemorative plates clean is one of the many challenges you will face when you order such metal nameplates. While these are indeed very durable and can withstand the variations in the weather day in and day out, you will still need to do something to help keep these plaques and tablets clean and presentable. Here are a few tips and tricks that may be useful for when you will need to do some maintenance work on your etched or engraved plaques and nameplates:

Different kinds of metals require different methods of cleaning, and this is due to the fact that some metals are more prone to scratching than others, and a few other metals are not as corrosion resistant or chemical resistant as others are. You need to know what metal your etched plates or commemorative plaques are before you can effectively clean or maintain these.

Even when you are told that a specific metal is impervious to damage brought about by chemicals, it is advisable that you avoid chemicals when cleaning these. There are other methods that can be used to clean these etched plaques and plates that do not require the use of such harsh cleaning agents, although some people may say that it is faster and more effective if you do use such chemical cleaners.

When cleaning your metal etched plaques, it is a good idea for you to wear gloves when doing so. This is to protect your hands from the dirt and grime that may come from doing such a chore as well as to protect the metal from the ill-effects of natural oils on your hands. Natural oils that come from your skin come with acids, sugars and lipids that can actually corrode metal slowly. While constant cleaning of these plaques and plates will help prevent such a thing from occurring, it is still a good idea to wear gloves to ensure that none of these corrosive oils do get on these metal plates in the first place.

While this method is for brass and bronze plaques and plates, you can still use this same cleaning method when you are doing maintenance work on stainless steel as well as aluminum plates. Just make sure that none of your cleaning materials and equipment are abrasive or have a tendency to create scratches on the surface of these plates. Also, make sure that the grooves in these plaques and plates are cleaned as well with non-abrasive tools like cotton swabs and wooden cuticle sticks.

You start off by wiping down the surface dust off of these metal collector plates with the use of a dry, soft rag. Next thing you need to do is to mix a mild dishwashing liquid with half a bucket of warm water. Using dishwashing liquid ensures that greasy dirt is effectively removed from your plaques while ensuring that it is mild enough to not damage the surface of these plates.

Soak a clean, soft rag in the warm water and wipe down the plaque. For dirt caught in the crevices of these plates, use the wooden cuticle stick or a cotton swab to gouge this out slowly. Wipe down the surface again after you do this and repeat if necessary. Once you are done with this step, wipe the plate with a soft, clean rag that is dipped in clean warm water. Follow this with a dry, soft rag to remove any moisture from your plates.

Hummel plates are an offshoot of the wildly popular Hummel figurines that have been produced in Germany since 1935. In 1971, a German manufacturing company introduced a line of plates with similar motifs.

Hummel plates came from Hummel figurines. The inspiration for the figurines came from the pen of Berta Hummel, a young German woman with uncanny artistic abilities. She refined her techniques at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich.

Instead of appreciating, however, the plates lost much of their worth in the 1990s. In the 21st century, a Hummel plate often sells for $10 or less on online auction sites. However, the oldest plates are still sought-after collectibles that command better prices.

Though the collector plate market has experienced a downturn in recent years, certain collector plates have begun to recoup their value. This is due mainly to baby boomers. Older buyers are drawn to the plates, especially Hummel plates, for nostalgic reasons.

National (and international) online marketplaces are popular sources of vintage collectibles. At the time of this writing, eBay has over 6,000 Hummel plates listed for auction or sale. Etsy lists almost 1,500 Hummel plates. Ruby Lane features 30 vintage Hummel plates.

Created in 1996, this symbolic plate portrays three Black women in Afrocentric attire facing the future. Painted in vibeant colors with a gold rim, the plate measures 8 inches across. It's a collectible plate, not for food use.

The old blue china christmas wall plates are all made from high quality porcelain and are safe to be used for serving. They are also both dishwasher and microwave safe! Also check the matching Christmas cups. 041b061a72