The wall of lunchboxes...

[HardyGirl]

Since school will be starting in Oakland soon...

Does anyone remember before they banned metal lunchboxes, how you'd go to the grocery store and see this HUGE display of lunchboxes? Like the Ben Cooper costumes, you used to be able to get a lunchboxes w/ just about anything on it, superheroes, TV sitcoms, musical groups, cowboys, Barbie, comic book characters, movies, anything. Even though my mom was anti-lunchbox (I had to use a friend's Bobby Sherman hand me down), I was always in awe of those displays.

What was your favorite? Didja get a new one every year? Were you like me, and denied this lunchtime treasure? Were ya just the plain ole red plaid type?

Pass the PBJ sandwich, and your thermos of milk and share some lunchbox memories!

[z3zep]

I only had one, a Woody Woodpecker lunch box, it was pretty cool. I have seen it on e-bay a few times but have resisted buying it. maybe someday in a moment of weakness....

I wanted a new one every year, even though I mostly went home for lunch Remember those days, when kids that lived close to school could go home for lunch???

[YoungOnce]

The Disney Schoolbus lunchbox for me, in elementary school during the 70's

Then the Marvel Super heroes square box. I remember being envious when Robby Bales, the perceived rich kid brought the first Pringles potato chips to school. It somehow was a big deal back then.

[toys2cool]

lol! wow I wasn't even aware they were banned

I had my He-man and a Sesame street metal ones

Plastic I had Gi joe,Thundercats,Batman

[Seeker]

I can remember one I had with Charlie Chan and the Chan clan on it. I think another just had cars and trucks on it.

[Bionic Joe]

Mine was a handy me down from my older brother, which was STAR TREK, which i used from like 1st thru 3rd grade

[Hotfoot]

Heres my collection!

At least if I was rich!

http://www.nothingtoseehere.net/imag...box-museum.jpg

Not many museums are in the attic of a rather crappy antique mall. The Lunchbox Museum in Columbus, Georgia however is not your usual museum. A massive collection of lunch boxes, lunch trays and even production artwork created to adorn lunch boxes, it's a labor of love. While its home in the attic of the River Market Antiques Mall leaves much to be desired, the sheer number of collectibles will distract from their surroundings.

For this trip, the museum was my only destination. So I saw little of Columbus in getting to the River Market Antiques Mall. After arriving, a quick outside tour of the interesting clutter, which included a folk-art covered hearse, I made my way to the door. At the front entrance I was greeted with a menu of odd museum options for my enjoyment.

"WORLD FAMOUS LUNCH BOXES, Lunch Box Museum, Recognized By The Smithsonian Institute - OVER 2000 BOXES. $5.00 VIEWING FEE

[SUP-Ronin]

I have a good friend with like 40 vintage metal lunch boxes in his collection. Actually that is his collection. I didn't know they banned them.

[mitchedwards]

I started 1st grade with the Disney Lunch box, then progressed to my Emergency Lunchbox.

Did you ever drop your thermos and break the glass liner in it? That would ruin your day fast.

[saildog]

Does anyone remember before they banned metal lunchboxes, how you'd go to the grocery store and see this HUGE display of lunchboxes? Like the Ben Cooper costumes, you used to be able to get a lunchboxes w/ just about anything on it, superheroes, TV sitcoms, musical groups, cowboys, Barbie, comic book characters, movies, anything. Even though my mom was anti-lunchbox (I had to use a friend's Bobby Sherman hand me down), I was always in awe of those displays.

HardyGirl, there is nothing that makes me wax nostalgic like the old lunchboxes. I think they actually affect me deeper than thinking about old toys.

I have my old Evel Knievel lunchbox displayed right above my monitor. Got it in second grade (before that, I had a Disney Robin Hood lunchbox that became very uncool after First Grade). I carried Evel for five years (despite Mom's offer to buy me a new one every year, nothing else would do) and even though I was a rough and tumble kid, it emerged rather unscathed. It is still one of my prized possessions.

[Joe90]

Does anyone remember before they banned metal lunchboxes, how you'd go to the grocery store and see this HUGE display of lunchboxes?

Okay... Naive Canadian Alert!!!

Why were metal lunchboxes banned?

I'm thinking metal detectors...

[HardyGirl]

I started 1st grade with the Disney Lunch box, then progressed to my Emergency Lunchbox.

Did you ever drop your thermos and break the glass liner in it? That would ruin your day fast.

I didn't have the breakable thermos in mine, b/c it was a plain red one that didn't match the box. But once when I went on the March Of Dimes Superwalk in '81 and carried my mom's old thermos of apple juice, I set my bag down too hard and broke it.

[Hotfoot]

Okay... Naive Canadian Alert!!!

Why were metal lunchboxes banned?

I'm thinking metal detectors...

Injuries, Weapons, Rust. You name it they banned em!

[saildog]

Does anyone remember what lunchboxes retailed for in the years from 1974-1980? It seems to me like they were pretty cheap at the time.

[4NDR01D]

I can't seem to remember which ones I had as a kid, but I do have very vivid memories of my Thermos smelling like sour milk. This may explain why I have no interest in collecting them.