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Figuring Collectors Plates Values
Many people who find this site are looking to find out how much their collector plates are worth. There are a few ways to go about finding collectors plates values and they could give you very different results.
First off, I'd say that if you are serious about collecting decorative and/or collectors plates, it might be a wise choice to invest in a quality pricing guide. Especially if you intend to sell collectors plates, you have got to have some starting point. Keep in mind that buying anything but the latest edition of such a guide is pretty much pointless unless you are writing some kind of historical perspective on the value of collectible plates. You can spend time shopping around, but generally, you will have a tough time beating the prices available at Amazon. Selling collectible plates without some frame of reference is just asking to make a mistake that could end up costing you a lot more than what a decent price guide would cost. Amazon
Next, I would heartily recommend checking out the current listings and the recently completed listings on eBay. Love it or hate it, eBay sets the bar for the prices of many collectibles being sold today. eBay is the place to check to see what collectors plates are selling for in the "real world". In my opinion, it gives you a nice number to work with if you are planning to sell off all or part of a collection. It doesn't matter what a price guide book says if the eBay buyers are only willing to pay half of what you are asking for your items. I've seen many people list their plates on eBay and proudly boast about the book value. They set a starting price right around what the "book" told them their plate was worth, and then spend the next week watching their plate get zero bids. If they had bothered to look, they might have found that plates similar to theirs were being sold at half the price right next to their listing. Of course, this works both ways. Sometimes a collector plate with a low book value with spark a bidding war and sell for WAY above what might have been predicted. The whole scenario can be frustrating, but it is also part of the fun of buying and selling for plate collectors.
Finally, there are collectible shops that include these plates among the items they sell. Frankly, I don't envy them. It must be hard to compete with what is being sold on eBay right now. Everyone knows about eBay and serious collectors are almost always going to check the site for available items that can be shipped right to their door before heading out on a search of collectible shops. With the overhead involved in keeping an actual brick and mortar shop open, collectible shops are in a tough spot right now. I still visit them because I like to look around and will occasionally find some interesting old items for sale, but I have to admit to being partial to buying collectible plates on eBay.
Each person will have their own favorite method of acquiring plates and finding out collectors plate values. I don't think that any one is really the definitive and clear "winner". Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Take a look around and try to enjoy the experience as part of building your collection!
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 SECOND AVON ANNIVERSARY PLATE IN ORIGINAL BOX  US $.01 |  Avon Anniversary Plate 10th Year US $1.00 |
 Avon Anniversary Plate 5th Year US $1.00 |  5 Avon 1982 Mothers Day Plate Little Things US $.65 |
 AVON RECIPE FOR LOVE 1993 MOTHERS DAY PLATE WITH ORIGINAL BOX US $.99 |  Avon The Olympic Woman 1996 collectible plate US $.99 |
There are many types of collectors in the world. People who collect decorative plates and other collector plates are a very diverse group. Some people enjoy collecting plates just for their beauty. They can be used in so many different ways to decorate around the home. Decorative plate hangers or plate racks allow people to mount and display their plates almost anywhere in their home that their imagination inspires them to decorate.
Others see the plates as a way to show off the work of a favorite artist. Thomas Kinkaid plates and Norman Rockwell plates are great examples of this. I don't know anyone who doesn't enjoy the unmistakable look of a Norman Rockwell painting. Plates like these are great because they not only capture special slice of life moments, but they also represent a piece of innocent Americana that seems to slip farther away every time you listen to a news report.
People also specialize by collecting plates that memorialize some "favorite" from their life. Elvis Presley, Wizard of Oz, Disney, Gone With the Wind and even Star Trek are examples of these. Collectible plates like these used to be offered on television quite often when I was growing up. The pitches for the plates still ring in my ears telling of a "limited number of special edition plates signed and numbered by the artist".
Depending on the type of decorative or collector plate you may have chosen to collect (or are choosing, if you are just starting out), the values may or may not have actually increased. There are quite a few collectible plates out there that have appreciated in value as time has passed. Of course, not every plate is going to become a sought after item, but every plate can have great value to the person who owns it.
Norman Rockwell Plate
Some people of course, have a more calculating approach to collecting plates. They see each decorative plate as an investment that they or their heirs will be able to sell off at some point for a profit. These people may pick and choose among makers or topics with no real interest in the plates themselves beyond future value. There is certainly nothing wrong with doing that, but they have a decidedly different approach than a person who collects just "favorites".
Some of the more popular plates prized by collectors include Pfaltgraff, Wedgewood, Noritake, and of course Bradford Exchange. Each type of plate has its own special characteristics that inspire people to collect and cherish them whether for beauty's sake or as an investment.
Because of the nature of collecting limited production items. there is now a huge market for people buying and selling both individual replacement plates and entire sets of collector's plates. The Bradford Exchange did an amazing job at bringing plates to the public. Today, eBay offers so much variety in the way of collectible plates that looking at a price guide, while still useful, can be somewhat of a moot point. If you have watched auctions for collectible plates on eBay at all, you have no doubt noticed that the same plate that goes for several hundred dollars one week, can often slip through the cracks and end up selling for a fraction of that amount during a different week when no one seems to be in the market for it. This can be a great thing for people looking to build a collection or to replace a broken favorite, but it does pose a bit of a challenge to those who are looking to sell off collections or replacements. Because of eBay's effect on the collectibles market, sellers may want to consider using a reserve price when listing on eBay. That will prevent the loss of a valuable plate for a price you can't live with comfortably.
I once had a conversation with an acquaintance who couldn't seem to grasp my interest in decorative plates. He wondered why someone would want to own a bunch of hand painted ceramic plates that no one would ever even eat off of. I started to explain my interest to him, but finally just let the course of the conversation go in a different direction. Collecting plates is not the most popular hobby in the world, but there certainly are many people who enjoy it.
I suppose you either appreciate collecting and displaying decorative plates, or you don't. I think one of the things I like most about this type of collecting is that the plates make wonderful display pieces that easily work right into a home's decor. When I was younger, I collected coins for a while. I found it interesting, but I never got to really show of my collection. With decorative plates, they can always be on display if you wish. They look good displayed in a favorite china cabinet, or they can easily be mounted and used as wall decor. When I decorate walls with plates, I leave my options open. I try to mount them so that they can easily be moved about or transferred out for other favorite plates when the spirit moves me or when I want to go with something seasonal. That is another great thing about building a collection of decorative plates...you are never lacking for decorating ideas or new things to try. You can hang decorative plates almost anywhere in your house as long as the themes match.
My family certainly is happy that I collect plates. It makes shopping for gifts for me a snap. Every holiday at least one person will go the route of buying me a new decorative plate or even entire decorative plate sets (eBay is good for this). I've also managed to accumulate two wonderful decorative platters that were both purchased and given to me as gifts on the same Thanksgiving. They are much larger than most of the decorative dishes I own, but I love displaying them as the holidays approach as they just happen to look stunning with some antique decorative plates that I picked up years ago at a garage sale in my neighborhood (another great place to find good deals).
Collectors of plates are a truly mixed lot of individuals. Some people have built up amazingly huge collections of plates worth thousands of dollars, while some may have only a few decorative plates that were left to them by their Grandmother. Whatever the case may be, enjoy your plates and be proud of your collection. They are a great way to show off a little bit of your personality while beautifying your home.