For the record, the World’s most expensive lunch box was auctioned at MastroNet, Inc. for $11,500 in December 2003. It was a 1954 Superman Isolina box made by Universal in 1954. The sale was exceptional not only because of the price but also because the box was unused and in absolute mint condition. Shortly after, Annie Groer at The Washington Post reported that the buyer was Jeffrey Landes, a physician from New Jersey.
However, before we all get too excited it is important to remember that the number of metal lunch boxes sold at auction for anything like this price is extremely low. Also, prices seem to be extremely volatile. Harry Rinker writing on WorthPoint – a site devoted to art, antiques and collectibles – points out that an identical 1954 Superman box fetched “only” $4,649 on eBay in 2006, just 3 years later. To add even more uncertainty, more recent prices on eBay for these particular boxes look opportunistic to say the least!
In terms of the highest valued items there are a number of characteristics to look out for.
First, there is obviously the condition. Unused boxes are particularly valuable.
Second, the lithographed image. Lithography is the printing technology which allowed popular TV and movie stars to be imprinted upon the metal surfaces of these boxes. Other things being equal, the more popular the star or cartoon character, then the greater the value of the box – hence the 1954 Superman. The most notable and earliest example of this is the Mickey Mouse box from 1935. In mint condition these are extremely valuable. However, this is partly because the model is a precursor to the mass popularity of lunch boxes that occurred during the 1950s. So in this respect it can be regarded as somewhat of an exception.
Third, rarity. Some of the most classic lunch box designs today are not actually worth that much. Why? Because so many of them were produced! A good example is the famous Disney School Bus lunchbox. Throughout different versions they sold in excess of 9 million units. So despite the classic vintage design there are just too many of them around to command very high prices. That said, an original year combined with mint condition could still mean a mass produced item does well at auction.
There are a number of resources to help with pricing lunch boxes. One of the most important price guides is probably Toys & Prices. Over 17 editions have been produced and metal lunch boxes are just one of several categories that are discussed and priced. It is also useful because there are often special supplements in each annual edition which provide a greater insight into a particular niche. For example, in the 2010 version there is special focus given to toys of the 1980s.
So, price guides are traditionally the way to get a feel for the market. Certainly, they are a great place to start. But what about the internet? It is true that thousands of lunch boxes have been sold through auction sites like eBay. The problem is the large number of opportunists that list items for unrealistically high prices. Worse still, sometimes they are successful! So even for collectors that look carefully at realized valuations (i.e., boxes that have actually been sold), it is still remarkably easy to get a distorted view of the market.