A household name in the vintage and antique market known for its figurines, M.I. Hummel’s later dinner plate production dominated the dining table setting from 1971 to 1995. (peak plate collecting era.)
A Hummel plate’s condition has the most impact on pricing, which is why a packaged Heavenly Angel sells for roughly $2,500 as opposed to one that is unpackaged for between $100 and $200. Other Hummel plates, however, cost between $30 and $100 less.
Sister Maria Innocentia, often known as Bertha Hummel of the Siessen Convent, collaborated with the Goebel ceramic firm in 1935 to turn her magnificent works of art into figurines.
The cooperation was successful, and what had begun as an experiment turned into a successful enterprise.
Goebel felt, “Hmm, these characters can fit on the dinner table,” following the success of the M.I. Hummel Figurines, which led to the creation of Hummel Plates in 1971.
What Is the Value of Hummel Plates?
One online auction, for instance, only has the best-case situation (a vintage annual Hummel from 1984 with the box intact) priced at approximately $50.
The estimated value of a 1997 and a 1996 Christmas plate is $25 apiece. Due to their rarity, Annual plates are the most expensive.
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Identifying Popular Series and Values of Hummel Plates
Sister Maria Innocentia (née Berta Hummel) was a Bavarian nun who worked with Franz Goebels and his namesake German porcelain company to bring to life her rosy-cheeked youngsters utilizing her professional artistic expertise.
Their porcelain miniatures of these adorable kids were displayed in their first joint exhibition, which took place in 1935.
The figurines quickly gained enormous popularity and, by the 1960s, were a common family collectible.
However, the two expanded their collaboration beyond 3-D figurines and utilized ornamental plates, a booming medium in the 1970s.
A commemorative plate was created by the company’s design team to mark the factory’s 100th anniversary and it was made available in 1971.
The anniversary plate was initially intended to be a single piece, but it was so well received that the firm went on to produce several different series of plates from the 1970s to the early 2000s.
The collection that comprises a single plate to symbolize each year from 1971 to 1995 is known as the annual plate series.
The next annual plate didn’t come out for another five years, and this millennial production only contributed five additional plates to the collection.
The inaugural Annual plate, which was produced in 1971 to commemorate the company’s 100th anniversary, was reissued three times.
The first of these was created for the company’s employees and features a message thanking them for their dedication on the bottom rim. Due to its rarity and price, this plate is highly pricey.
The American and English editions came after this plate, with the first having holes in the back rim to go along with a wall mount.
The yearly plates that followed depicted Hummel’s idyllic dreams in a one-of-a-kind, hand-painted landscape.
The Christmas plate line produced by Hummel and Goebel is the second most popular plate series.
The early Christmas plates closely resemble the Annual plates, but subsequent iterations diverge from the Annual series because they include a relief-style scene rather than a painted or flat image.
The late 1990s saw the production of these elevated, three-dimensional plates. Overall, Christmas plates by Hummel are much less valuable as collectibles than those from their annual series.
Although these various Hummel plates aren’t as well-known as the company’s Annual and Christmas series, devoted Hummel and Goebel collectors like them nonetheless.
Here are a few of the several plate series that you or a loved one may have purchased from a second-hand shop on your most recent vacation.
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Most Valuable Hummel Plates
Surprise
A boy and a girl who are pals are depicted on a surprise Hummel plate strolling through a floral garden. While the boy is holding the girl in a loving side embrace and putting his left hand in his pocket, the girl is carrying a basket of flowers.
Apple tree girl and boy
A little girl (or boy) is depicted in the 1976 Apple Tree Girl (and Boy) looking back while seated on a tree, with the M.I. Hummel embossment on its face.
Ride into Christmas
This young child is racing through the snow in a Santa-like fashion while perched on a sled between a lamppost and a pine tree.
Hear ye hear ye
The rallying cry “Hear Ye, Hear Ye” features a messenger blowing his trumpet. He is bundled up and is holding a spear and a lantern. A house is embossed on the plate in the distance.
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Globetrotter
In the 1973 film Globetrotter, an energetic young man is seen venturing forth with an umbrella and a flower-filled bag. A home, a mountain, and the name M.I. Hummel are all embossed in the distance.
Postman
This Hummel plate features a mailman in a uniform holding letters. Like the others, it just has M. I. Hummel engraved on the lower left, but it also has 32 stars around the edge.
Wayside harmony
Would you like to hear a hummingbird sing a carol along the roadside? The image of a little boy lounging on a wooden fence in the 1992 Wayside Harmony Hummel features two mountains in the distance.
Feeding time
An eating period of a little girl tending to her pet birds—two chicks, a hen, and a cockerel—is depicted on a Hummel dish.
Shepherd’s boy
If you enjoy reading the Bible’s account of David, you’ll adore the little shepherd boy caring for his flock on this Hummel dish.
Heavenly angel
On its 100th anniversary, Goebel Manufacturing Company released the Heavenly Angel plate as a limited-edition item. But as a result of its unexpected success, further designs were created, paving the way for the M.I. Hummel plates.
Heavenly Angel, the main motif, is one of the most expensive models.
Plates By M.I. Hummel: A Brief History
From 1971 through 1995, M.I. Hummel, a well-known brand in the vintage and antique market recognized for its figurines, dominated the dinner table setting. (The heyday of plate collecting.)
A boxed Heavenly Angel sells for approximately $2,500 as opposed to one that is unpackaged, which sells for between $100 and $200 because the condition of a Hummel plate has the greatest influence on pricing.
However, other Hummel plates are between $30 and $100 less expensive.
In 1935, the Goebel ceramic company worked with Sister Maria Innocentia, often known as Bertha Hummel of the Siessen Convent, to transform her exquisite works of art into figurines.
The collaboration worked well, and what had been an experiment became a profitable business.
Hummel Plates were first produced in 1971 as a result of the success of the M.I. Hummel Figurines, which Goebel thought, “Hmm, these characters can fit on the dinner table.”
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Frequently Asked Question
Q1. How much is a 1971 Hummel plate worth?
This gorgeous anniversary plate is worth between $100 and $200 without the box. A plate with a box in exceptional condition sells for more money.
Its value has decreased significantly since the 1980s when its price was an exorbitant $2,500.
Q2. How do you tell the age of a Hummel?
It is simple to tell how old your Hummel is because different logos were used at various times. Goebel began with TMK-1 (the oldest) and progressed all the way to TMK-8 (the newest).
It suffices to state that your Hummel is older and worth more if you own a TMK-2 or TMK-3.