Collecting Pringles Tubes: How to Start Your Own Collection

Why Collect Pringles Tubes?

Have you ever finished a can of Pringles and thought, “These tubes are too cool to just throw away”? Well, you’re not alone! Collecting Pringles tubes has become a fun and quirky hobby for many people around the world.

There are lots of reasons why you might want to start your own Pringles tube collection. For one, the designs on the tubes are often colorful, eye-catching, and change frequently, so there’s always something new to look for. Pringles also releases many special edition and limited time flavors, making certain tubes rare and highly sought-after.

Additionally, Pringles tubes are cheap and easy to find – you can get them anywhere chips are sold. Unlike many other collectibles that can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars, you only need to buy a $2 can of chips to get a Pringles tube for your collection. And of course, you get to enjoy the salty snack inside too!

Lastly, Pringles tubes don’t take up much space, so even if your collection grows to hundreds of tubes, you can easily store and display them without needing tons of room. They look really neat all lined up on a shelf.

What Kinds of Pringles Tubes Can You Collect?

The great thing about collecting Pringles tubes is that there are so many different types to look for. Here are some of the main categories:

Regular Flavors

These are the standard Pringles flavors that are always available, like Original, Sour Cream & Onion, Cheddar Cheese, BBQ, etc. The tubes usually have the same designs for a while before being updated.

Limited Edition Flavors

Pringles is always releasing new limited edition flavors that are only around for a short time. Recent examples include Wendy’s Baconator, Rotisserie Chicken, Nashville Hot Chicken, and Cranberry Herb Stuffing.

Seasonal Flavors

Around the holidays, Pringles puts out special seasonal flavors and designs like Pecan Pie for Thanksgiving and Sugar Cookie for Christmas. Collecting these tubes is a fun way to celebrate the different times of year.

International Flavors

Pringles are sold in over 140 countries and many have their own unique flavors not available anywhere else. Some interesting international flavors include Grilled Shrimp (Japan), Paprika (Europe), Chili & Lime (Asia), and Mushroom & Cream (Russia).

Promotional Tubes

Occasionally, Pringles releases tubes with special designs to promote movies, video games, athletes, or other brands. For example, there have been tubes featuring characters from Star Wars, Super Mario, Halo, and Rick & Morty. These are often very limited and highly collectible.

How to Start Your Pringles Tube Collection

Starting your Pringles tube collection is easy – just start saving the tubes whenever you eat Pringles! You can also keep an eye out for new and interesting tubes whenever you’re at the store. If you spot a unique flavor or design, grab it to add to your collection.

As you accumulate more tubes, you’ll want to start thinking about how to organize and store them. One option is displaying them lined up on a shelf. You can sort them by color, flavor, theme, release date, or whatever other categories you want.

If you don’t have room to display them all, you can also store excess tubes in a box or bin until you’re ready to rotate your display. Just make sure they’re somewhere dry where they won’t get damaged.

It’s also a good idea to make a list or spreadsheet of all the tubes in your collection to help keep track of what you have. You can note things like the flavor, release date, special edition name, and where you got it.

Rare and Valuable Pringles Tubes

While the majority of Pringles tubes aren’t worth a lot, there are some rare and valuable ones that collectors love to hunt for. Here are a few examples:

These prices are just estimates based on what the tubes have sold for online to collectors. The value can vary a lot based on the tube’s condition and how badly a collector wants it.

Most Pringles tubes aren’t worth nearly this much, so don’t start collecting just to try to make money. It’s more about the joy of finding and saving the unique tubes that catch your eye. The valuable ones are just an extra bonus if you happen to come across them!

Tips for Finding Rare Pringles Tubes

If you want to track down some of the more sought-after Pringles tubes, here are a few tips:

Shop at Different Stores

Don’t just check your usual grocery store for unique tubes. Look in petrol stations, convenience stores, pharmacies, and anywhere else that sells chips. You never know where a rare tube might turn up.

Buy Pringles When You Travel

If you’re traveling to a different state or country, keep an eye out for Pringles flavors that aren’t available at home. You might discover some really unique regional tubes to add to your collection.

Join Online Collector Communities

There are places online where Pringles tube collectors buy, sell, and trade tubes with each other. This can be a great way to find ones you’re missing. More on this later!

Check out the subreddit r/pringleverse on Reddit. You can talk about anything Pringle related here and post your latest find. There’s also r/coolcollections on Reddit where ALL collections are celebrated. Here’s a Pringle-specific example.

How to Display Your Pringles Tube Collection

Half the fun of collecting Pringles tubes is getting to show them off! There are lots of creative ways to display your tubes. Here are some ideas:

On a Shelf

This is the easiest way to display a small to medium sized collection. Just line the tubes up on a bookshelf or floating shelf. You can organize them by color, flavor, size, or however else you want.

In a Shadow Box

If you have some special tubes you want to highlight, try displaying them in a shadow box on the wall. You can arrange them in a fun design or include other related memorabilia too.

As a Lamp

Believe it or not, you can make a pretty cool lamp out of Pringles tubes! Just stack them up around a lamp cord and secure with glue. Add a lampshade on top and you’ve got a one-of-a-kind piece of home decor.

In a Christmas Tree

If you have a lot of green tubes, you can hot glue them together in the shape of a Christmas tree. This makes for a fun and unique holiday decoration. You could even use flavored tubes as ornaments!

The possibilities are endless, so get creative and find a way to display your collection that brings you joy. Guests will love checking out your unique tubes whenever they visit.

Where to Find Collectible Pringles Tubes

In addition to checking local stores, there are a few other places you can look for unique Pringles tubes for your collection:

eBay

eBay has a robust market for collectible Pringles tubes. You can find all kinds of rare and international tubes, as well as bulk lots to quickly grow your collection. Just be prepared to pay a bit more than retail price, especially for harder to find tubes.

Facebook Marketplace

Collectors sometimes sell tubes on Facebook Marketplace as well. You can set alerts for “Pringles” to get notified whenever a new listing goes up. This is a great way to find good deals from people who don’t know the collectible value of what they have.

Collector Websites

There are a few websites dedicated to selling rare and international Pringles tubes, like Mercari and Etsy. The selection is usually smaller than eBay, but you might find some unique offerings you can’t get anywhere else.

Checking a mix of local and online sources will help you track down an amazing variety of Pringles tubes from all over the world to make your collection stand out.

Conclusion

Collecting Pringles tubes is a fun and affordable hobby that anyone can enjoy. There are so many interesting flavors and designs to look for, and the hunt for rare tubes is always exciting.

Plus, it’s a collectible that’s totally unique – you don’t see Pringles tube collections every day! It’s a great way to express your personality and interests.

As you build your collection, you’ll love the sense of pride and accomplishment that comes with tracking down a tube you’ve been searching for. And displaying all the colorful tubes is sure to be a conversation starter!

So next time you finish a can of Pringles, don’t throw out that tube. Save it and start your own collection. Before you know it, you’ll be hooked on the thrill of the hunt and the joy of collecting these special little pieces of pop culture history!