Nancy Maria Donaldson Johnson sold her patent rights for a relatively small sum ($200). This was a common practice at the time, as women often lacked the resources to manufacture and market their inventions independently.

Other manufacturers successfully commercialized Johnson's ice cream freezer design. It became a popular household item, transforming ice cream from a luxury reserved for special occasions into a more accessible treat.

Nancy Maria Donaldson Johnson died on April 22, 1890. Specific details surrounding her death and cause of death are unknown.

Although Nancy Maria Donaldson Johnson may not have achieved great personal wealth from her invention, her hand-cranked ice cream freezer revolutionized the ice cream industry and made homemade ice cream accessible to a wider audience. Her contribution remains significant in culinary history.