Why Is There So Much Antique Tin?

Walk into any antique store, browse a couple ofpeople fork out big dollars for these antiques? For
antique catalogs, tune in to the TV and catch anone thing, tin is easy to shape so craftsmen of long
antique appreciation show and you will see antiqueago loved to shape them into some interesting
tins everywhere. You would probably wonder what itpieces. Anything antique that was handmade would
is about tin that makes it so popular with antiquefetch a good price no matter what it was made of.
collectors. There is probably a good explanation to it.Since tin is easy to work with, replacement pieces
To begin with, tin resists the elements very well.can be easily made today. If a collector paid for a
Water and oxygen, the combination that will easilythree-wheeled tin racing car, he could easily send it to
rust the strongest of steel, will do nothing to tin. Ifan expert to restore the missing wheel. These are
the mob were to sink a guy they didn't like into thejust some of the reasons why tin antiques are so
East River, you could pull him out 50 years later andcollectible.
the only thing intact would be his tin cigarette box (ifTin items are also rarely produced today. Big
he smoked that is). So now you can see why therecorporations still make tin cans but rely more on
are so many antique tin collectibles. Tin items last aaluminum than tin. Containers and toys are being
long time and when something lasts as long, theymade with plastic more and more since plastics use
become antiques. They become rare collectiblesstandardized moldings that make mass production a
when they have been out of production for about 50breeze. With the combination of limited production,
years or so.handmade quality and a long lifespan, it is no surprise
So what? If tin lasts a long time and tin items of thethat tin items are one of the most collectible items
last few decades are still available today, why wouldtoday.