You might be surprised, but a metal lunch box from the 50s or 60s, in good condition, can fetch a nice profit at auction. “Fighters”, as collectors are called, are usually those who collect boxes not only for monetary value, but also for memory. Many metal lunch boxes, which were produced from the 1950s to the 1970s, are covered with collectibles pop art, comics, cartoons, and more. characters have long since been erased. In the 50s there was Superman, Dick Tracy in the 60s, and even the Beatles and Star Wars in the 70s.
The original metal lunch box was actually created in the late 1800s. The crude tins and drinking cups would later be turned into collectible items by companies such as Disney, Aladdin, and the American Thermos and Bottle Company. The first metal lunches were used by all kinds of people, but they were really originally created by miners, chiselers, and other market workers. Sealed metal boxes kept dirt, water, coal dust, and bugs out of the food workers while they worked. Metals are also used for early lunches for children at school, and families for Sunday picnics or family outings in the park.
During the “hey days” of metal lunches (1950-1970), when a metal lunch meant you were of a certain status and belonged to a group. After the 1950s, metal lunch boxes began to gain popularity among school-aged children because they were now being featured in television and movie brands. All the kids with money had metal lunch boxes, while the rest of us had to carry lunch. It can be a paper bag or an old one, if you are old.
Most people think that metal lunch boxes were made any time after the 1950s, but the history goes back much further. If you’re looking to collect rare pieces, metal lunch boxes from about 1860 to about 1925. Look for mostly simple metal boxes that don’t have graphics or decals on them. The main metal lunch boxes are collectible because of the history they represent, but they are nothing compared to the various renditions from the 1950s and 1960s. Some of these early lunch boxes did not include a thermos or drinking cup, but if you are lucky, you will find one.
In 1935 Disney released some of the first metal lunch boxes using the company Geuder, Paeschke, & Frey. Because iron production could be a little expensive, and boxes were not yet popular only a few Disney character metal lunches were made between 1935 and 1937. The most popular of those produced at this time is the oval-shaped Mickey Mouse lunchbox that first appeared in 1935. At auction you can expect one of these early Disney pieces that sell anywhere from $4000-$6000, in good condition.
During the Great Depression of the 1930s and the wartime era of the 1940s, not many metal meals were produced because most of the money was appropriated for reconstruction and war. This was done in a small quantity which turned them into the gold of decumanes. Collectors especially love these pieces because they are especially rare. Later in the 1950s the American Thermos Company came out with the first lithographed metal lunch thermoses. The first character to appear at this luncheon was Roy Rodgers in 1953, followed by Dale Evans. Over 2 million of these lunches were sold between 1953 and 1955, but they are still a great part of the collection because they were the first. Until the 1970s, western themes and other lunch boxes became popular for movies and television shows like Gunsmoke and Gene Autry.
In the 1960s, some of the tiniest and most collectible metal lunches came into production like the Beatles, Star Trek, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Archie, and Annie. All and every restaurant culture was done right there in the metal lunch, now everything is complete with bathrooms of some kind. One of the first collectible metal boxes from this era was a 1967 Star Trek lunch box. At the time it was one of the best lunches you could buy, with neon colors and sharp graphics. Today it can fetch about $500 at auction, maybe more if it’s not used.
These metal lunch boxes are so much more than just a container to carry your food, they are part of our history. Anything from movie stars, athletes and cartoons covers the covers of these boxes, and because they are so many, you can find them everywhere. Sadly, the production of metal lunches came to a screeching halt in the mid-1980s with the advancement of materials technology. Modern plastic models do not compare to the works of art that preceded them, and collectors do not want them.
Many people don’t know where to start looking for metal parts, and some happen to stumble upon one. a day when you are looking for something else. Either way, it helps if you have something to compare when you’re looking for large collections. Here are some of the best metal lunches for collecting and selling at auction.
• Mickey Mouse Oval, 1935
• Hopalong Cassidy, 1950
• Roy Rogers, 1953
• Dale Evans, 1953
• Donald Duck, 1954
• Rocky and Bullwinkle, 1962
• The Beatles, 1965
• Batman, 1966
• Star Trek, 1967 and 1968
• Woody Woodpecker, 1971
• The Partridge Family, 1971
• King Kong, 1971
• Fat Albert and Cosby Kids, 1973
• Kiss, 1977
• Hulk, 1978
Angels, 1978
• The Muppet Show, 1978
• Hazard Leaders, 1980
• Pac Man, 1980
• ET, 1982
• Knight Rider, 1984
• Gremlins, 1984
This list is only a suggestion, there are many different boxes that you can collect or sell. More than 400 images and collectible models were produced for consumers from the 1950s to the 1980s and are usually in metal millenary lunch boxes.
You can buy these boxes almost anywhere in the world. Online auction sites are a great place to start, as well as lunch shopping sites. Other sites like Craigslist and Yahoo Classifieds can help you find a meal or two. You can also find these metal lunches at auctions, flea markets, garage sales, thrift and second-hand stores, and even at publicans. shops
Always see the lunch in person before you buy if you can. If you can’t see the item, ask the seller to send you individual pictures so you can decide whether or not you want to buy it. Remember to think about what boxes are primarily popular for similar treats, before searching and buying. Look inside and outside the box to look for rust, holes, or other damage. Mint unused lunchboxes will eventually make the best collection or the most money for you.
Let them also remember how rare is the box we are looking for. Some boxes were given for hundreds of thousands and each one was sold. Look for smaller productions like the 1935 Mickey Mouse because only a few copies were made. When looking for the themes of movies and cartoons, know that many of them have been damaged or lost over the years. , they are small collectibles, because there will be few that are still in perfect condition. Remember when you were a kid and got a box with a character on it for your first lunch? There is writing inside or booklets on them, and there are not those who want collectors.
It’s a preconceived idea to have in mind before you start buying. Sometimes you can get these collectible metal lunches from some unsuspecting garage salesman for next to nothing, but you can’t expect the same when buying at an auction or a thrift store. I always remind myself of this one thing when I’m looking for lunch collections; If it says vintage on the tag that means the seller wants a lot of money.
Resources
Lunchbox Pad, http://www.lunchboxpad.com
-History of vintage lunches, photo gallery, how to write and guides, and marketing/selling.
White, Carole Bess and L.M. White, “Law Collector Lunchboxes“, 2001. ISBN: 1574321943.
-Metal, plastic, and vinyl, 1000+ color images, general values and recognition. 303 pages.
Woodall, Allen and Sean Brickell, “The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Metal Lunchboxes“, 1999. ISBN: 0764308947.
-Over 500 color photos, manufacturer’s list, and care and cleaning. 176 pages.
