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How to Buy Old Milk Can Replicas

Old milk cans and replicas are becoming harder to find. Original milk cans were used until the mid-1930s when glass milk bottles became popular. Since the supply of these original cans is dwindling, the prices you can expect to pay for them are rising. Since original metal milk cans are becoming extremely hard to find, many collectors have turned to milk can replicas, which look just like the real thing. There are several places that you can purchase these replicas.

Things You'll Need

Computer

Instructions

- 1
  Visit local antique stores. Nearly every small town has antique stores, and their inventory is very fluid. Check in at your local antique stores on a regular basis to find any milk cans they have in their inventory, before another collector snaps them up. It is best to shop the small, out-of-the-way, rural antique stores. These locations usually have a better inventory.
- 2
  Attend farm and estate auctions. These are especially common in the spring and summer months. Farm auctions are the most likely place to find old milk cans or replicas, but estate auctions can yield good results as well.
- 3
  Shop at local flea markets. Flea markets have hundreds of vendors, including many antique dealers. Arrive early, before other eager buyers, to get the best choice of goods. Make sure you know what you are looking for and determine your budget before you arrive, so you aren't taken advantage of. Take a book or pages from a website that describes characteristics of these milk cans and replicas, so you know exactly what you are looking at and how much it is worth. You can find a link to one of these antique value websites in the Resources section of this article.
- 4
  Check out online antique dealers. The Internet is a popular marketing venue for all types of businesses, including antique dealers. You can search by location or by type of item. These antique dealers usually offer large inventories and competitive prices. You can find links to several sites that sell antique milk cans and replicas at the end of this article.
- 5
  Check out online auction websites. These can be the best sources for old milk can replicas, and the prices are usually the lowest available. If you are a serious collector, you'll want to search these sites every day, as these old milk cans sell quickly. You can find links in the Resources section of this article to two of the best auction sites for finding milk can replicas.

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