| During the 1950-1970s tin lunch boxes enjoyed | | | | pieces. |
| immense popularity. Broadly speaking there were | | | | So what makes a particular design desirable to a |
| two different kinds. First, there was the classic | | | | collector? As a rule of thumb consider the |
| plain and shiny metal design used by the American | | | | following: |
| workforce. In many industries this became almost | | | | 1. Period. Items from the 1930s and 1940s are |
| standard issue and even a status symbol for | | | | especially valuable because they are so rare (the |
| many people working in outdoor industries such as | | | | Great Depression and WWII had a large negative |
| mining and logging. Secondly, there was the | | | | effect on the production volumes of products |
| decorated lunch box which was aimed primarily at | | | | during this period). Disney boxes from the 1930s |
| school children. These carried colorful designs of | | | | are extremely valuable - especially Mickey Mouse |
| film and TV characters. Although the use of both | | | | designs which can fetch upwards of $4,000 in |
| kinds has declined massively since their hay day | | | | mint condition! |
| they remain of significant interest to many people | | | | 2. Condition. This one is obvious and clearly applies |
| not only for nostalgic reasons but also for the | | | | to all collectibles. Two factors are important. |
| large monetary amounts these items fetch at | | | | Firstly, the condition of the lithographed image and |
| auction. | | | | secondly the metal of the box itself. |
| Possibly the best example was from 2003 when | | | | 3. Lithographed image. Lithography is the |
| a mint Isolina box sold for $11,500 ($13,225 | | | | technology that enabled colorful images to be |
| including the buyer's premium) at Chickens Go | | | | placed upon kids' tin lunch boxes. The actual value |
| Moo Inc auction! Before you get too excited it is | | | | will depend upon the popularity of the given |
| pertinent for me to point out that this price is of | | | | design. When it comes to cartoon characters for |
| course an exception rather than the norm! That | | | | example, the likes of Mickey Mouse and Roy |
| said, there remains a strong market niche in which | | | | Rodgers are particularly valuable. |
| collectors pay considerable amounts for desirable | | | | |