CCanadian pocket tobacco tins have become standout
treasures in the world of tobacciana collecting. Highly prized for their rarity,
condition, and historic ties to Canada’s early tobacco industry, these tins now
command impressive prices at auction. Recent sales have drawn national attention,
with the discovery of a 125-year-old 3 Strikes pocket tin leading the way as one
of the most remarkable finds to date.
Rare 3 Strikes Pocket Tobacco Tin Sells For $55,000
A rare, 125-year-old Canadian tobacco tin – 3 Strikes – made history this summer
when it sold at auction for a staggering $55,000.
To put that into perspective, the highest selling price for a similar pocket tobacco
tin this year is the Gold Dust tin, manufactured By The B. Houde Co. Limited in
Quebec from the 1800s to early 1900s. It sold for $5,500.
Fresh to Market – The Discovery of the 3 Strikes Pocket Tobacco Tin
The 3 Strikes tin was found during a bathroom renovation 15 years ago by a young
couple living in Kingsville, Ontario. The couple, John and Tina Staples, thought
the tin was "cool" and immediately placed it on a shelf as a whimsical piece of
decor.
They thought nothing more about the tin until this year when they decided to donate
it to the nearest Value Village. John Staples told The Globe and Mail:
"For us, it was something you might pick up in a second-hand shop."
Luckily, another member of the family stepped in just at the right moment and did
a little digging into the history of the 3 Strikes tobacco tin. Because it was well
known that Kingsville, Ontario was home to the Erie Tobacco Company, the daughter-in-law
knew there had to be something more to this tobacco tin. The Staples’ house stood
just 200 metres away from the original Erie Tobacco Company plant.
The daughter-in-law took the tin to Miller & Miller Auctions Ltd. in New Hamburg,
Ontario, who specialize in general store advertising, as well as automobilia & petroliana,
Canadiana folk art, and sports memorabilia.
The Holy Grail of Canadian Pocket Tobacco Tins
The experts at Miller and Miller Auctions immediately recognized this tin to be
an exceptionally rare piece of tobacciana in impeccable condition:
"This is the holy grail, the best of the best, the rarest of rare," says Christine
Blaus, Miller & Miller’s specialist and consultant, who is a retired lawyer and
a collector herself. It is "one of the most important, most elusive and one of the
finest pieces of Canadian tobacco history ever found."
Manufactured by the Erie Tobacco Company for chewing tobacco, the lithographed tin
is described as a 125-year-old vertical, flip lid, pocket tobacco tin. The most
collectable Canadian tobacco tins were made from 1895 to 1905. One expert was reported
saying:
"I’ve been a dealer of nostalgia for over 50 years and this is only the seventh
one I’ve come across," says Ed Locke of Renfrew, Ontario. "And there hasn’t been
a new discovery in 15 or 20 years. It’s significant."
To prove his point, Locke referenced a 3 Strikes tobacco tin that was featured in
the book Canadian Country Store Collectables by Bill and Pauline Hogan, published
in 1979. They describe the tin as "perhaps the earliest of the known Canadian pocket
tins" and "also the rarest."
3 Strikes: Tobacciana, Sports Memorabilia & Antique Advertising
Designed to fit neatly into a shirt pocket, the tin features the image of a baseball
player on the front, dressed in the typical uniform of the 1900s. Consequently,
the tobacco tin is considered by experts to be a "cross collectible", falling into
a number of categories, including antique advertising and sports & baseball memorabilia.
The 3 Strikes tobacco tin was modestly valued at $9,000 to $12,000, but early bidding
soon saw that estimate sky-rocket to $29,000, just days before the auction went
live online. It was a nail-biting sale with only two remaining bidders at the end,
vying for the esteemed piece of Canadiana:
"When you get something rare in a desirable category and in very, very good condition,
you just never know how much it will command," says Locke. "Is a collector ever
going to get a chance to own another again? Maybe not. That’s why these items bring
whatever the market will bear."
The Tobacco Belt of Ontario
The Tobacco Belt that once occupied the Essex-Windsor area of Ontario played a significant
role in Canada’s tobacco industry. Home to the Erie Tobacco Company, founded in
1900 by a local farmer by the name of John Bruner, this 3-storey tobacco plant occupied
22,000 square feet and employed 50 workers. By 1910, the company had earned the
reputation of being a major player in the tobacco industry. The plant’s daily production
of chewing tobacco was 1,200 pounds.
In 1908, the tobacco company was ordered by the courts to close for four years, due
to complaints from locals regarding noxious fumes and offensive odours. The Erie
Tobacco Co. reopened in 1912 in a different location in the same Tobacco Belt of
Ontario. They were eventually bought out by one of the largest tobacco firms in
the country, the Imperial Tobacco Company of Canada.
Chewing tobacco fell out of favour around 1904, when certain cities introduced anti-spitting
laws. But in its hey-day during the 1890s, it is reported that three pounds per
capita of chewing tobacco was enjoyed every year in the U.S.
3 Strikes: A Unicorn That "Some Collectors Didn’t Even Know Existed"
The fact that the Kingsville 3 Strikes tobacco tin survived for 100 years with hardly
a scratch and maintained its vibrant colours and shine is extraordinary. These pocket
tobacco tins are hard to come by and one in such immaculate condition is unheard
of among hobby enthusiasts and collectors. Ethan Miller, CEO of Miller & Miller
Auctions told CBC:
"When we saw the image of this tin for the first time, we knew it was rare. There's
been very little auction history on the sale of 3 Strikes tins."
The tin was in excellent condition, with only a few minor scratches on the front
and back, the colours were still vibrant and glossy. Despite some minor oxidation
on the lid, the gold metallic effect had not given way to rusting over the years.
It even retains remnants of the original tax stamp, together with a notice of compliance
with Canadian statutes and directions for use.
"It is the holy grail of tobacco tins," said Ben Lennox, head of sales at the New
Hamburg, Ontario, auction house. "The condition of it is out of this world."
The Erie Tobacco Company 3 Strikes pocket tin will forever be remembered by collectors
in this market and will go down in history as one of the rarest finds to date.