Vintage lunch box values keep feeding collector desire
This vintage Zorro lunch box is still in demand despite its poor condition.
Collectors love vintage lunch boxes. The tin, metal and plastic and other gems from the 1930s through the 1970s are still highly sought collectibles today. Depicting beloved TV shows, movies, rock bands, the space race and more, vintage lunch boxes aren’t just for kids today. Middle-aged and older folks seek them out for all kinds of reasons — from recapturing childhood memories to simply adding splashes of color to a room.
Vintage lunch boxes celebrate simpler times. Think Superman, Scooby-Doo, E.T., Star Wars, H.R. PufNStuf, Flintstones, Green Hornet and countless other subjects.
To answer the question of what is my vintage lunch box worth, let’s evaluate the treasures from a couple of perspectives. The vintage lunch boxes that people want most:
- Are in excellent condition, with no big dents or countless scrapes. It’s hard to find them in this condition and collectors in this arena will still buy vintage lunch boxes in rougher shape if the subject matter is rare enough.
- Contain their original thermoses. We all know kids lose things, so thermoses certainly disappeared all the time. An original thermos with all of its parts makes a box complete.
- Strong colors and graphics. If the sun has squashed the color or the visual appeal is otherwise diminished, the value goes down.
To give you an idea of some retail prices on vintage lunch boxes, assuming they’re in good condition with the thermos:
- 1954 Superman — $15,000 (up by more than $5,000 over the last dozen years)
- 1935 Mickey Mouse — $2,500
- 1964 Superman, 1966 Batman, 1963 Jetsons, 1954 Mickey Mouse — $1500 to $2,000
- 1962 Flintstones — $300 (while a Green Hornet is so rare that it can command $300 without the thermos, and $1,000 with it)
- Star Wars, Underdog, Munsters — $1,000.
There are countless other vintage lunch boxes that sell for $50 to $200 every day. Selling yours may be a great way to make some real bread.
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Orion’s Attic is a full-service estate liquidation, downsizing and home cleanout company based in Silver Spring, Maryland. We also buy antiques and collectibles. We serve Montgomery County and the entire metro Washington D.C. area (D.C., Maryland, Virginia).