9 Vintage Mugs To Look For At Thrift Stores Or Estate Sales For A More Valuable Haul

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Hunting through the shelves of home goods at thrift stores is not only fun, but it can also be lucrative. Hidden among the scores of old crock pots, bakeware, and vintage kitchen items is a common find that resellers say may hold unexpected value. Vintage mugs can be surprising treasures you might want to take home and display or resell for big returns.

Mugs are a dime a dozen in thrift shops, so finding a valuable one among the hundreds of junky coffee and tea cups littering your local resale shelves is a bit of a trick. But find the right one, and you could fetch more than $100 from an interested collector. Just make sure your mug is in excellent condition, without chips or cracks, if you want top dollar. Note that while vintage mugs are great for resale or decoration, they may not be safe to drink from due to high lead content. But for their worth as collectibles, you can't go wrong with these nine finds, valued for their beauty, rarity, and nostalgia.

Franciscan Earthenware is a dishware manufacturer known for quality and durability, and its Atomic Starburst pattern has a particularly big fan base with collectors who love the midcentury modern design. The company released its first blue, green, and gold starburst pattern in the atomic era of the 1950s. Now a sought-after collectible, you might find individual mugs or sets in a thrift store just waiting to be resold for well over $100. 

These beautiful, collectible mugs will jump out at you with their unique green color, and routinely sell for $50 to over $100. Made by multiple manufacturers in the 1930s and '40s, these classic mugs have continued to increase in value, and they bring a fun punch of color to your kitchen shelves. The green glass dishware has been reissued in modern times for more affordable prices, but for the prized vintage pieces, look on the bottom for manufacturer markings from Fire-King, McKee, or Jeannette (a "J" in the middle of a triangle) glass companies. 

You can't go wrong with valuable vintage pottery found hiding in the mug section. A McCarty coffee mug from the 1950s (which looks more like a small bowl) from the storied Mississippi pottery company is listed at $75 or more on sites like Etsy and eBay. Another well-known pottery company, Otagiri Mercantile Company, started hand-crafting stoneware in the 1940s, and their hand-painted mugs fetch a good return in the resale market, especially in sets. Look for the manufacturer's original sticker or signature to be sure what you have. 

Thick ceramic mugs from long-gone diners have a following among collectors, and also make a quirky display if you are styling an open kitchen shelf. YouTuber The Auction Professor highlights diner mugs that went for surprisingly high dollars, including an original White Castle mug that sold for a whopping $5,700. It may be hard to determine if that old diner mug you see on a thrift shop shelf is worth serious cash, but a quick scan of the "sold" section of eBay and Etsy may give you clues, like the mug from L.A.'s Original Pantry restaurant that sold on eBay for $99.  

Limited edition mugs that mark a historic event are often a good bet as a collectible that will go for much more than the dollar or two you paid for them at the thrift store. These include mugs marking a World's Fair or a royal event from across the pond. Consider a mug commemorating the Silver Jubilee for King George V and Queen Mary that is marketed for $35 on Chairish, or a 2016 Sochi Olympics mug, which recently sold for $60 on eBay. You can own a piece of history with these mugs.

Hollywood nostalgia is always a good bet when thrifting, and mugs featuring popular and classic TV shows can be worth a pretty penny. TV talk show host Johnny Carson is having a moment, with mugs selling for over $200 on eBay. Other popular shows like "Twin Peaks" and "Friends" have mugs selling for $20 or more online. But there are a lot of TV show mugs out there, and trends change frequently. Check with online auction sites and places like Facebook marketplace to see what is fetching big dollars. 

Collectors get excited about vintage mugs made by Fire-King, a division of Anchor Hocking, which manufactured thick milk glass mugs in the mid-19th century that hold their value today. Snoopy, that classic "Peanuts" character, features on these mugs made in the 1950s and '60s, and resale values can reach $100 or more. You'll especially be in luck if you find a Fire-King mug with Snoopy as the Red Baron, flying his doghouse through the air. Mugs with this image have been listed online for well over $100.

Mugs made famous by their use on iconic TV shows or movies can bring big bucks, and as highlighted by Instagrammer nostalgiachick, are fun for collectors hunting for reminders of their favorite characters. Consider the Hartstone Pottery leaf mug that was once used on "The Golden Girls," and sold for nearly $250 on eBay. Or the Libbey Cobalt Blue Glass celestial pattern mug used in Monica's apartment on the '90s TV show "Friends," which is a popular buy on eBay for up to $50.

While big manufacturers, historic events, and Hollywood tie-ins may bring value to your mug, don't overlook one-of-a-kind, hand-painted or glazed studio pottery mugs that may be vintage. These mugs are not only unique cups for your coffee, but are also potentially valuable works of art. YouTuber Pish Posh Reselling notes that artist-signed, studio pottery mugs with rustic designs often resell for $20 or more online. The Facebook group Studio Pottery Identification can help trace a vintage find to its home studio, which can help determine its worth.