What is my Bradford Exchange collector plate worth?
By Ellen Whitlock ·
Most Bradford Exchange collector plates from the 1980s and 1990s are worth about $1 to $15 each today. A complete 12-plate series in its original boxes can bring roughly $100 to $200. Condition, completeness and subject matter decide where yours lands.
What is a Bradford Exchange plate worth?
Plates that retailed for $30 to $40 each in the boom years now sell for far less. A complete series, a clean glaze and the original box matter more than the famous name on the back.
| What you have | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Single plate from a typical 1980s-90s seriesCondition decides where a plate lands; typical eBay prices run under $10. | $1–$15 |
| Whole collection sold as one lot (about 7 to 25 plates)Auction results for a lot of Elvis plates and a lot of Big Cat plates. | $7–$31 |
| Complete 12-plate series, original boxes and certificatesOriginal packaging is what puts a set at the top of the range. | $100–$200 |
Auction lots can carry a buyer's premium on top; the Elvis lot carried 13%.
Jacqueline Stallone quotes Harry Rinker putting the majority at about 15 to 25 percent of the original purchase price. Kovels puts plates with Norman Rockwell or LeRoy Neiman artwork at typically less than $5 each.
How to date and identify a Bradford Exchange plate
Bradford Exchange began as The Bradford Gallery of Collector's Plates, founded by J. Roderick MacArthur. According to Collector Point, the backstamp typically prints the year of issue, and the Bradex number names the series and issue. Match yours to the table.
| On the back | Years |
|---|---|
| Company start · 1973A plate issued by Bradford cannot be older than this | 1973 on |
| Year of issue · backstampUsually printed on the back; start here to date the plate | 1973 on |
| Bradex number · 84-G20-6.1Country code, maker code, series, then issue; 84 is the U.S. code | |
| Plate number · 1376AA separate number with a letter suffix on some plates | |
| Production limit · firing daysA period of production, not a count of plates |
The Bradex number identifies the plate but does not prove Bradford made it.
Checking your Bradford plate
- Photograph the back first. The series, issue and year are printed there.
- Read the backstamp. Note the series title, plate title, artist and issue number.
- Match the paperwork. The certificate should match the plate's title, artist, issue number and plate number.
- Check the glaze. Tilt the plate to the light and run a fingertip around the rim, feeling for chips, cracks and crazing.
- Count the series. Note which issue yours is, first or third and so on, and whether you have the rest.
What makes one Bradford Exchange plate worth more?
- Complete series
- Complete sets outperform single plates.
- Condition
- Chips, cracks and crazing reduce what a buyer will pay. One price guide grades an undamaged plate in original packaging 'mint' and the highest-priced, while a 'fair' plate with visible cracks, chips or crazing loses significant value.
- Box and certificate
- Pristine plates with intact packaging and documentation are worth more. A four-plate Disney group at Berner's Auction Gallery on July 18, 2024 came with certificates and original foam packaging.
- Real scarcity
- Many editions were limited by a production period rather than a count, and even limited runs could involve thousands of identical pieces. That oversupply is why the resale market is thin, and Kovels says limited-edition plates from Franklin Mint, Bradford Exchange and similar companies have little to no resale market.
- Subject and artist
- Rare holiday collections, artist collaborations and popular cultural icons tend to hold interest better than everyday subjects. A famous name is no guarantee: NASCAR plates rarely exceed $20.
Is it a real Bradford Exchange plate?
Bradford Exchange plates are themselves mass-produced decorative plates, so the question is usually who made the plate, not whether it is fake. The references checked show no documented pattern of counterfeit Bradford plates. Signs the plate or its paperwork may not be Bradford's:
- A Bradex number on its own. It does not prove Bradford made the plate.
- A similar design from Danbury Mint, Franklin Mint or a smaller company. Some Franklin Mint plates give no clear series or issue information.
- A backstamp and certificate that disagree on title, artist, issue number or plate number.
- An older maker's mark instead of a Bradford backstamp. The pottery marks index can help you place it.
Where to sell Bradford Exchange plates
To gauge what similar plates fetch, LoveToKnow suggests checking Replacements.com, Antique Cupboard, The Glass Menagerie and eBay. Sell a complete boxed set as a set, because single plates sell for far less. For scale, a 25-plate lot of Bradford Exchange and other Elvis plates closed at $31 plus buyer's premium. If the same cupboard also holds Hummel figurines, see what a Hummel is worth.
Common Bradford Exchange plate questions
Are Bradford Exchange collector plates worth anything?
Usually only a little, because so many were made. A complete boxed series is the exception.
How do I find the year on my Bradford Exchange plate?
Look on the back. The year of issue is printed in the backstamp with the series and issue number.
What does the Bradex number on the back mean?
It works as an identifier for your plate: which series it belongs to and which issue yours is. Use it alongside the certificate rather than on its own.
Do the box and certificate add value?
Some, and mostly for a full series rather than a single plate. Check that the certificate matches the plate before you count on it.
Should I sell my plates one at a time or as a set?
As a set when you can, especially if the series is complete and the boxes and certificates come with it.