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The lunch boxes we know today were created in 1935 by a company called Geuder, Paeschke, and Frey. The first was a metal container with a then-new cartoon character, Mickey Mouse, on it.
Since then, lunchboxes featuring favorite characters have become the standard; over the years, some have become quite collectible. With that in mind, here are 18 retro lunchboxes that are now collector’s items.
Superman 1954
This lunchbox, produced by Universal, features Superman fighting a giant robot. This retro lunchbox could sell for as much as $13,000 in mint condition.
Orbit 1963
Rockets, space travel, and astronauts are heavily featured in little boys’ toys and lunchboxes. The Orbit box, made by Thermos, is rare because the images of John Glenn inside the spacecraft were stolen from National Geographic. Thermos was presented with a cease-and-desist letter, so they had to stop making the box. If you’re lucky enough to have one in mint condition, it could be worth up to $3,200 today.
Dudley Do-Right 1962
Dudley Do-Right was a featured character on some Rocky and Bullwinkle episodes and then later on his own show in the late 1960s. The Dudley Do-Right lunchbox is one of the rarest metal boxes available. But if you’re lucky enough to have one, it could be worth about $2,900.
Toppie 1957
These are extremely rare, and it’s believed that only about 12 are left in existence. The Toppie lunchbox could only be brought with Top Value Stamps, a Kroger trading stamp given out in the Ohio area. Because of its rarity, a Toppie lunchbox in mint condition could be worth $2,700 or more.
Mickey Mouse 1935
The original licensed lunchbox. This oval metal container features a wire handle, Mickey Mouse, and his Steamboat Willy friends. When it was new, it sold for between 10 and 20 cents; today, it sells for about $2,000.
The Munsters, 1965
This lunchbox is part of the merchandise from the hit 1964 TV series. T.V.day, this vintage tin lunchbox can fetch around $2,000 or more.
The Beatles, 1965
Almost all merchandise from The Beatles sells well, and the blue lunchbox is no different. It’s not rare, but it is very collectible and can sell for up to $1,900.
Howdy Doody 1954
Howdy Doody was a popular children’s TV show featuring Buffalo Bob, a puppet named Howdy Doody, and several other puppet characters. The tin lunchbox was just one of the many pieces of merchandise made for this show, and today, it’s worth about $1,787.
Gene Autry 1954
This cowboy-themed lunchbox was popular with young boys; if they were lucky, they’d also have the matching thermos. Today, the Gene Autry lunchbox can sell for as much as $1,775.
Knights in Armor (1959)
During the 1950s, shows like Ivanhoe, Knights of the Round Table and Prince Valiant were incredibly popular and most kids loved knights in shining armor. This lunchbox, made by Universal, didn’t feature any specific popular character but was still incredibly popular. Today, it sells for as much as $1,750.
Rocky and Bullwinkle 1962
Who didn’t love the flying squirrel and moose duo popular in the 1950s and 1960s? They went on grand adventures together and dealt with the evil villains Boris and Natasha. Quite a lot of merchandise was produced, but the lunchbox is considered rare and can fetch up to $1,600 today.
Star Trek 1968
With the Star Trek lunchbox, your lunch could go where no lunch had gone before. It’s got a picture of the U.S.S. EnteU.S.S. on the front and Captain Kirk and Dr. Spock on the back. What more could a Trekkie ask for? This lunchbox can sell for as much as $1,500 in good condition.
The Jetsons 1963
This dome-shaped lunchbox featured the cartoon Jetson family and came with a matching thermos. Today, in good condition, a Jetson’s lunchbox can sell for as much as $1,400.
Lone Ranger “Red Band” 1955
There are actually two versions of the Lone Ranger lunchbox: one with a blue band and one with a red band. The red band version is worth the most and has sold at auction for $1,250.
h.r. Pufnstuff 1970
Before the world had heard of the big purple dinosaur, H.R. Pufnstuff was the live-action puppet every child loved. The show was so popular that even today, a H.R. Pufnstuff lunchbox can sell for as much as $900.
Gunsmoke 1972
Westerns have been extremely popular for years, and Gunsmoke was one of the most popular Western TV shows of all time. The show ended in 1975, so merchandise is quite hard to find and highly collectible. This Gunsmoke lunchbox came with a matching thermos, and today, in good condition, it could be worth about $766.
Hopalong Cassidy 1950
This lunchbox was made by Aladdin and contained a matching thermos. It sold over 600,000 lunchboxes in the first year, so these boxes may not be rare, but a pristine-condition box can sell for up to $500 today.
The Addams Family, 1974
Not as old as some lunchboxes on this list, the Addams Family lunchbox is still highly collectible and valued at about $230.
