Most Valuable Lunch Boxes of All Time

Remember the joy of finding just the right lunch box when you were a kid? It was so much more than a receptacle to carry your sandwich and drink. It was an announcement to the world about who you were. It was a badge that declared, "I’m a Spider-Man kid," or "the Care Bears are my thing."

Those vintage models are worth some ridiculous coin today. How much? Well, these are the most valuable lunch boxes out there. And they will set you back more than the cost of a couple of Happy Meals.

17. Lone Ranger ‘Red Band’

Maker: Adco Liberty

Year: 1955

Approximate Value: $1,250

Bottom Line: Lone Ranger 'Red Band'

Who didn’t love the Lone Ranger? “Hi-ho, Silver. Away!” The Lone Ranger was a masked Wild West superhero who delighted kids everywhere.

The Lone Ranger metal lunch box had a couple of versions — one had a blue band around the outside and the other a red band. The red-banded version had a winning bid of $1,250 at a 2005 auction. 

You’re mentally scanning your attic right now, aren’t you?

16. Star Trek

Maker: Aladdin

Year: 1968

Approximate Value: $1,500

Bottom Line: Star Trek

This was the lunch box that would boldly take your lunch where no lunch had gone before. This Star Trek lunch box features a picture of the U.S.S. Enterprise on the front and some action images of Kirk, Spock and the rest of the crew on the other sides.

In pristine condition, Trekkers can expect to fork over $1,500 or more for this one. Set your bank account to “stun!”

15. The Beatles

Maker: Aladdin

Year: 1966

Approximate Value: $1,550

Bottom Line: The Beatles

Of course, memorabilia of the Fab Four never goes out of style. The Beatles' blue lunch box  features images of each band member’s head on the front. Along with the lunch box comes a Thermos showing the group playing its tunes.

In mint condition, Beatlemania fans can plan on shelling out $1,550 or more. Apparently, the Beatles weren’t kidding when they sang, “Money (That’s What I Want).”

14. Knights in Armor

Maker: Universal

Year: 1959

Approximate Value: $1,750

Bottom Line: Knights in Armor

The 1950s love them some knights in shining armor — at the time, “Knights of the Round Table,” “Ivanhoe,” and “Prince Valiant” were fan favorites. 

This lunch box isn’t tied to any particular movie, TV show or comic. Instead, it’s just a no-name knight lunch box hoping to piggyback on the success of the genre. Apparently, it worked because this lunch box has sold as high as $1,750. That’ll put a kink in your chain mail!

13. Howdy Doody

Maker: Adco Liberty

Year: 1954

Approximate Value: $1,787.10

Bottom Line:

What kid didn’t love Howdy Doody back in the day? This lunch box features Howdy himself on the front and a bunch of his on-air buddies on the rest of the box. At an auction, this rare piece lassoed $1,787.10. (Say, kids, what time is it? It’s time to go broke buying a lunch box.)

In 1954, the average cost of a new car was just a shade over $1,900. Ah, but the memories are priceless. Right?

11. The Munsters (Tie)

Maker: King-Seely Thermos Co.

Year: 1965

Approximate Value: $2,050

Bottom Line: The Munsters

Herman, Lily, Eddie, Grandpa and Marilyn made for a seriously entertaining TV family. As popular as the show was, it’s no easy feat to scare up this lunch box from 1965.

To get top dollar, one needs to have the accompanying Thermos. In perfect shape, this one will put a bite on your wallet to the tune of $2,050 or more at auction.

11. Mickey Mouse & Donald Duck (Tie)

Maker: Adco

Year: 1954

Approximate Value: $2,050

Bottom Line: Mickey Mouse & Donald Duck

You can’t get much more classic than Mickey and Donald. On one side of this vintage lunch box, you have Mickey, Pluto and Donald’s nephews: Huey, Dewey and Louie.On the other side, you have the duck himself having a picnic with his nephews.

What do you put in such a classic lunch box? How about a “Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggity dog….”

10. Yellow Submarine

Maker: King Seeley Thermos Co.

Year: 1968

Approximate Value: $2,250

Bottom Line: Yellow Submarine

One of the most iconic songs from one of history’s most iconic bands has become (you guessed it) one of the most iconic lunch boxes ever. The lunch box depicts some of the artwork seen in the uber-groovy animated film from the same year.

Should you want one, know that this collector’s item could leave your finances a bit underwater.

9. Underdog

Maker: Okay Industries

Year: 1971

Approximate Value: $2,296

Bottom Line: Underdog

The pooch who liked to fight — and bite — crime in the butt also made for a pretty mean lunch box. From 1971, this box shows the floppy-eared crusader kicking some bad guys to the curb, just like on the TV show.

Did you know that Underdog was originally a General Mills character used to sell cereal? Apparently, he did way more than that because for a cool four-figure sum, you could take an Underdog lunch box to work tomorrow. That’s a lot of Lucky Charms!

8. Mickey Mouse

Maker: Geuder, Paeschke & Frey

Year: 1935

Approximate Value: $2,350

Bottom Line: Mickey Mouse

When is a lunch box not a lunch box? When it’s a lunch kit.

This Mickey Mouse Lunch Kit could be the granddaddy of all modern lunch boxes. Sold in 1935 for just 10- to 20-cents, they were a luxury that many couldn’t afford during the Great Depression.

According to the Smithsonian, this was the first lunch box produced featuring a character image. Though it may not be the most expensive lunch box out there, it could be the most honored. Ol’ Walt had a couple of good ideas, didn’t he?

7. The Jetsons

Maker: Aladdin

Year: 1963

Approximate Value: $2,650

Bottom Line: The Jetsons

One day you’re watching your guilty pleasure show, “Pawn Stars,” and you watch a lady come in with an awesome old lunch box. It’s not square; it’s the metal type with the rounded top. On it, “The Jetsons” are proudly displayed, and this lady wants $700 for it. Due to some minor damage and the fact that she didn’t have the Thermos, she only got $400.

Now, in perfect condition, The Jetsons lunch box has rocketed up to $2,650 in mint condition.

6. Orbit

Maker: King-Seeley Thermos Co

Year: 1963

Approximate Value: $3,200

Bottom Line: Orbit

If there was anything cooler than science fiction in the early 1960s, it was the reality of space travel. The Orbit lunch box from Thermos features National Geographic images of the Mercury space capsule with John Glenn at the helm, as well as a launch photo of the Atlas rocket launching from the space pad.

Unfortunately, Thermos didn’t get National Geographic’s permission and had to stop making the lunch boxes. Oops! The Smithsonian Museum has one of these on display. One small step for kids, one giant leap for lunchtime.

5. Dudley Do-Right

Maker: Universal

Year: 1962

Approximate Value: $3,400

Bottom Line: Dudley Do-Right

Who can forget the not-so-bright Canadian Mountie from the old Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons? This lunch box, featuring the lovable hero, was perfect for taking your poutine to school and making your pals jealous.

Now, you can sell it off for a cool $3,400 or better, and get yourself a whole lotta double-double at Tim Hortons.

4. Man From Atlantis

Maker: King-Seeley Thermos

Year: 1977

Approximate Value: $5,201.91

Bottom Line: Man From Atlantis

Just when you realize these are all based on super popular television shows or pop culture icons, you come across a lunch box that wasn't based in success. “Man From Atlantis” was a short-lived television phenomenon in 1977-78. Four made-for-TV movies led to a series, but the series only lasted one 13-episode season. 

King-Seeley Thermos made these cool lunch boxes. When the show failed, they halted production faster than you can say “mermaids are real." There may only be a handful of these bad boys left. In 2013, someone put down a cool $5,201.91 on eBay to own one of them.

3. 240-Robert

Maker: Aladdin

Year: 1978

Approximate Value: $5,222

Bottom Line: 240-Robert

Finding one of these lunch boxes is almost as rare as finding someone who remembers the TV show “240-Robert.” A cop show set in L.A., it only lasted a short time, and the run of lunch boxes featuring it was small. One guy who worked at the production plant bought one and hung on to it.

Because there are so few left, he apprehended a nifty $5,222 on an eBay auction.

2. Toppie

Maker: King-Seeley Thermos

Year: 1957

Approximate Value: $6,287.50

Bottom Line: Toppie

Quick. Let’s play a game. There’s an extremely valuable lunch box from the 1950s and it features an elephant. Name that elephant! Dumbo? Don’t be silly. Babar? Nope. It’s Toppie, the Top Value Elephant! 

Toppie was a character used by Kroger’s food stores as part of their value stamp program. Collect enough stamps and you could turn them in for cool stuff, like this classic lunch box. There may only be a dozen or so of these left in the world, which is why one sold on eBay for $6,287.50 a few years ago.

1. Superman

Maker: Universal Studios

Year: 1954

Approximate Value: $16,000

Bottom Line: Superman

He’s the king of all superheroes, and this lunch box with his image is arguably the most super of all of these super lunch boxes. This Superman lunch box could be the most desired collectible lunch box out there. It has reportedly sold for as much as $16,000 in the past.

You’d think if you could afford to pony up that kind of cash, you wouldn’t need to pack your own lunch.