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How to Collect Coffee Tins

From short, squat cans that opened with a metal key to modern 1-lb. tins with plastic lids, coffee cans have been valued for decorative and practical purposes. Many a coffee tin saw a second life as a container for old paint or nails, but many are now valued by collectors. The colorful lithographs on old coffee tins make attractive displays on a kitchen shelf, and the names recall brands from days gone by. Chase and Sanborn was the first company to package coffee in tins, in 1878, according to Maureen Timm, writing in the "Antique Shoppe" newspaper. If you love coffee, or if you're looking for a collecting hobby that's relatively inexpensive, you may want to collect coffee tins.

Things You'll Need

Soft cloth
Glassed-in cupboard
Market guide

Instructions

- 1
  Search flea markets, antique and junk stores, estate sales and garage sales for decorative coffee tins to add to your collection. Choose tins with clear lithography with a minimum of scratches and free from rust. Tins that include the original lids are more valuable than tins without lids.
- 2
  Display your collection. Protect your tins from moisture, which can rust the metal, and from bright sunlight, which may fade the bright lithographs. A glass front case will protect your collection while still leaving them open to view.
- 3
  Clean your collection by dusting the tins with a soft cloth. Don't wash with water or other cleaners, or apply any kind of wax.
- 4
  Determine the value of your collection. Consult a market guide. Value depends on the brand of coffee advertised, the design, the age of the tin and the rarity of that particular pattern, as well as condition.

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