The great thing about collectible tin canisters/containers is that there are so many kinds.

Have a sweet tooth? You could devote a lifetime to acquiring a collection of just candy tins, from Altoid mints to Zion Sparkling Beauties.

Sci-fi fan? Some Star Trek, Star Wars, and other franchises merchandise, like puzzles and watches, have come packed in logo-decorated tins.

Are you a collector of tobacciana, vintage medical supplies (Band-Aid anyone?) or car wax? Or miniature tins, British biscuit tins, or 19th century tins? However broad or narrow your interests, there is almost certainly a plethora of advertising tins from which to augment your collection. And it doesn't hurt that many, it not most, tins can be had for just a few dollars a piece.

Obviously, older and rarer tins are generally more valuable, and some command prices into the thousands depending on condition. But beware of reproductions! Over the last couple of decades, more than a few companies have exploited the craze for nostalgia by packaging their products in "anniversary" tin copies of their earlier containers. Reproductions can sometimes be quite difficult to tell apart from the originals, but thinner metal, brighter paint, zipcodes, copyright renewal dates, and UPC (Universal Product Code) barcodes are all giveaways.

Online auction sites and antique malls are great places to search for additions to your collection. Don't limit yourself to eBay: many of the other auction sites also have advertising-tins categories, and if they have less traffic, you might have less competition for those items you just have to have. Yard sales and church rummage sales are also great places to browse since their low pricing often compensates for limited selection.

As mentioned before, condition matters, so always try to acquire specimens exhibiting the fewest dings and scratches and the least amount of paint loss and corrosion. A light rinse under cool running water and drying with a soft cloth should be all you need to clean dusty or lightly soiled tins. Let the interior air dry for a day or two before replacing the lid or you'll end up trapping moisture and promoting rust!

For more information on advertising tins and on how to maintain your collection, check out the resources listed below:

Books

"Antique Tins," by Fred Dodge
http://digbig.com/4rttk

"Antique Tins, Book II," by Fred Dodge
http://digbig.com/4rttm

"Biscuit Tins," by Tracy Dolphin
http://digbig.com/4rttn

"Decorated Biscuit Tins: American, English and European," by Peter Hornsby
http://digbig.com/4rttp

"Encyclopedia of Advertising Tins (Vol. 1)," by David Zimmerman
http://digbig.com/4rttq

"Encyclopedia of Advertising Tins (Vol. 2)," by David Zimmerman
http://digbig.com/4rttr

"Miller's Advertising Tins: A Collector's Guide," by Robert Opie
http://digbig.com/4rtts

"Tobacco Tins: A Collector's Guide," by Douglas Congdon-Martin
http://digbig.com/4rttt

Websites

Carols Advertising Tins
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Den/1976
A personal collection of over 360 tins in six categories on display.

The Ribbon Tin Connection
http://home.earthlink.net/~dcrehr/tins.html
"The Web Center for Ribbon Tin Collectors." A guide to collecting typewriter ribbon tins!

"75 Years of Band-Aid"
http://www.savetz.com/bandaid
The title says it all!

Tin/Can Cleaning Tips
http://www.chiptin.com/antiqibles/tins/cleaning_tips.htm
Lots of info by Mike Reilly about caring for your tins.

The Tin Pages
http://www.wickedlady.com/tins/tinshomepage.html
Tracy Dolphin's site. Hundreds of British biscuit tins arranged alphabetically and chronologically. Nice photos and thumbnails.

Unravel the Gavel.net
http://www.thegavel.net

http://www.thegavel.net/Junetin.html
"Dating Your Tins" by Mike Reilly offers a number of tips.

http://www.thegavel.net/Maytin1.html
"Collecting Tobacco Tins" by Mike Reilly talks about the different types.

World of Tea Caddy
http://www.teacaddy.czi.cz
Wonderful site devoted to tea caddies. Over 1600 tins!