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Page 12 The Antique Shoppe March, 2020
word “vintage” on the price tag is another kick in the gut, am I really that
KAYE’S COLLECTOR CORNER old? Not long after, I saw a slightly different Charles Chips tin in the thrift
shop. They had redesigned it more yellow instead of the tan, and I couldn’t
By Mike Kaye help but reminisce again. The thought leaves as I stumble across more
“vintage” tins. I come to an Old Dutch Potato Chips tin, a Cracker Jack tin for
$18, a Heintz Potato Chips container for $28, then a Star-Krisp Popt Corn,
the “pop” being spelled different than I’ve ever seen, then an Amish Dutch
Talk’n Tins Time blue tin for $25 and a Roegelein’s Pure Lard tin. Row after row of more and
more tin containers with asking prices more than when they originally had
product in them.
In the early 1980s, I remember being in my Are tin containers worth it? I began my online research and discovered
bedroom and hearing the sound of a truck that a 1920s Campfire Marshmallows advertising tin was priced about
stopping in our driveway. I peered out and $100, then a different sale of the exact item sold for about half, showing an
to see the delivery truck for Charles Chips! I inconsistent market for tins. On eBay I came across a vintage Seamaid Brand
quickly ran to the front door to watch through Oyster tin from Chesapeake Bay selling for a whopping $4,800 and a 1929
the glass. My parents Huntley & Palmer Biscuit tin Clockwork Motor Bus
would leave empty which sold for an astounding $11,948! As I continued
tins on the doorstep for the delivery man to pick my random search, I discovered a much newer 1990s
up, he would then leave replacement tins filled IAMS® cat food canister which sold for just under
with goodies. I inconspicuously watched through $100. All this research leads me to believe that the
the door as the man put down the new tins and value of tin canisters is not really dictated by age as it
swiftly grabbed the empty ones. Once he walked is by the subject matter. With IAMS® the idea that cat
back to his truck, I quickly opened the door to bring food can still be stored inside a cat tin serves a double
the cans inside. It was always a surprise to see the purpose of nostalgia and usability.
contents, because mom would choose different While scrolling through other current sales I was
assortments. reminded of another fond memory. I had
I began to pry the lid off the first a flashback of using a metal spoon
one, I discovered it was my favorite to pry open the circle cap on top
chocolate chip cookies! The next of the Nestle® Quik tin. The tin
tin unearthed something salty, the prominently featuring the rabbit. I
traditional potato chips, although can’t tell you how many of those tins I
inviting, not as exciting as the cookies. pried open to make chocolate powder to
By 1986, we moved to a new home waterfalls of chocolate milk. A trip down
and I no longer saw Charles Chips. I’m memory lane, and a kick in the pants to
not certain if it was because my parents remember the dozens of now discarded
stopped buying them, or perhaps they Nestle® tins, which are now popular with
didn’t deliver to our new town, in any collectors who are willing to pay $30-40
case I moved on and replaced them each for.
with Entenmann’s® and Chips Ahoy®, For the most part, many of the other
because that’s what kids do. canisters with intricate art and look
It wasn’t until adulthood expensive fall into the $10-$20 range. To
when I discovered an think I had one of the most sought
empty chip tin in the Tins are nice to look at and add after of tin canisters in the form
antique shop that I was color to a room. Most tins are un- of a chocolate milkshake is mind
reminded of how amazing der $40 and more decorative than boggling. Just another example of
those cookies really were. collectible, however, some tins having a collector savviness to know
I began researching online command upwards of $12,000! what to hold when you have it, what
and discovered that Charles to discard to avoid hoarding and
Chips is still in business, ultimately how long to hold it and
when to let go for max moolah!
Charles Chips was my per-
sonal favorite and today If you’re looking to buy collectibles
commands $28. It’s worth or want to sell what you have…
CollectorK is a text or email away!
more money empty then Text: 561-628-4369 or Email:
when my parents used to buy kpeople@hotmail.com
it filled with goodies.

but the prices have increased as expected. Famous brands from the past are
Between my current financial obligations interesting to see. Some of the
and health consciousness I’d best leave the
memories of wiping out cookie tins behind companies are still in business to
me. Were they as good as I remember? this day. Companies rarely make
After seeing the Charles Chips empty these types of large tins because
tin on the floor with a price tag of $28 I they are pricey to produce and
thought, “Holy smokes, it didn’t cost that the bulkiness makes them more
much when it was filled with cookies!” The expensive to ship.