7 Lost Snack Foods That Now Sell for Hundreds – Experts Warn

The world of discontinued snacks has evolved into something far more lucrative than anyone anticipated. What started as nostalgic yearning has transformed into a thriving marketplace where collectors pay extraordinary sums for empty tins and expired treats. Food industry experts are now warning consumers about this peculiar economy where simple snack packaging commands prices that rival precious metals.

Altoids Sours – The Thousand Dollar Tins

There are currently boxes of Altoids Sours for sale on eBay at prices ranging from $20 to $800, with BuzzFeed uncovering one listing for a tin of the “curiously strong mango” flavor, which sold for $1,000 on eBay earlier this year. Altoids Sours, a sugary, fruit-flavored edition of the iconic breath mint brand, were discontinued in 2010, and a decade later, the now-expired candies are reselling for hundreds of dollars. The candies experienced a wide-spanning surge in popularity after they were discontinued, with fans creating Facebook pages and Change.org petitions calling for their return, and with a limited number of tins available, their packaging has become a collector’s item. Here’s an eBay auction for a sealed tin of Altoids Sour Tangerine for $250, though in September 2024, Iconic Candy reintroduced the beloved Altoids Sours under the new name “Retro Sours.”

Crystal Pepsi – The Clear Cola Goldmine

Crystal Pepsi was discontinued in 1994, but there’s a listing for three bottles priced at $500, with for example, Crystal Pepsi being available on eBay at astronomical prices. Crystal Pepsi was launched in 1992 with a huge marketing campaign and to great success, capturing a 1% soft drink market share worth US$474 million in its first year, but PepsiCo made some mistakes, and Coca-Cola launched Tab Clear as a deliberate “kamikaze” copy to sabotage Crystal Pepsi, so it was off the market in 1994. Fans of discontinued sodas take notice as an unfathomably rare full can of the faddish Crystal Pepsi, at least 20 years old at this point, just showed up on eBay with no bids entered as yet for the item, which carries an asking price of $50 (and shipping costs of $11.90).

Chocodiles – The Chocolate Covered Twinkie Treasures

Chocodiles were chocolate-covered Twinkies that Hostess produced from the 1980s through the late 1990s, achieving cult status as they became increasingly rare West Coast exclusives, and their discontinuation created such devoted demand that fans paid inflated prices for remaining stock, cementing their reputation as the ultimate discontinued snack cake. These delectable treats became the stuff of legend among snack enthusiasts who remembered their unique chocolate coating and cream filling combination. The limited regional availability during their final years only added to their mystique and eventual collector value.

Planters Cheez Balls – The Canister Comeback Stars

Planters Cheez Balls were round, cheesy puffs in an iconic canister, and Planters brought them back in 2018 after years of fan petitions. Before their eventual return, these nostalgic snacks commanded serious money on the secondary market. The distinctive canister packaging became almost as coveted as the cheesy contents themselves. Collectors particularly sought out the original blue canisters with the vintage Planters branding and Mr. Peanut logo.

Trader Joe’s Patio Potato Chips – Fire Sale Victims

If you’re a fan of Trader Joe’s Patio potato chips, you might want to prepare yourself for some bad news, as in March 2024, a devasting fire completely destroyed the Covered Bridge potato chips factory in New Brunswick, Canada, where Patio potato chips are made, and given the extensive damage to the plant, Trader Joe’s was not been able to return the snacks to shelves by the summer. This unexpected discontinuation due to factory destruction has created an immediate surge in value for remaining packages. The multi-flavored chips were particularly beloved by Trader Joe’s loyalists who appreciated their unique taste profiles.

Dunkin’ Dunkaccino – The Celebrity Endorsed Casualty

2024 was no different, as popular foods, snacks, and drinks – from Maple Cheerios to the Al “Dunk” Pacino favorite, Dunkaccino – were retired. A Dunkin’ spokesperson confirmed the Dunkaccino is “retired for now, but there’s always the chance for its return in the future.” Created in 2000, the beloved beverage blended coffee and hot chocolate and gained cultural fame through Al Pacino’s comedic Saturday Night Live appearance. This celebrity tie-in has only increased collector interest in remaining promotional materials and packaging.

Trader Joe’s Minty Mallows – The Holiday Heartbreak

Festive season 2024 won’t be the same for some Trader Joe’s fans as the store has removed Minty Mallows from its product list, as Minty Mallows were a Trader Joe’s holiday favorite – packs of puffy marshmallow bites covered in rich dark chocolate and infused with a light peppermint flavor, perfect to enjoy alongside a creamy hot chocolate or as a post-Christmas dinner snack, with the marshmallow treat’s departure announced in December 2023, confirming that they wouldn’t return for the following Christmas season. The seasonal nature of these treats made them particularly precious to collectors. Many fans stockpiled boxes during the final holiday season, correctly predicting their future value. Some of the items carry price tags in the hundreds of dollars, while those prices may seem optimistic, the sellers are clearly hoping to tap into Americans’ nostalgia for foods of yore.

What do you think about this wild world of discontinued snack collecting? Tell us in the comments.