It does take some work to locate the original and vintage Cracker Jack and Gumball charms. It ain't easy, but it is certainly exciting when you do. When you remember that most folks think these things are trash, then you get an idea of where they are.

At estate sales go into kitchens and bathrooms and open all the drawers. I've actually found some stuck in the back crevices. I also found a very old tiny leather compass keychain there, too, but that's another story. Go to the garages at estate sales and look in boxes with old pens and home office supplies. Even adults liked these things and kept them close at hand like in desk drawers, for themselves and for their young children to play with while in daddy's or mommy's office. So, inside the houses at estate sales, look in the boxes and/or bags of home office junk.

At auctions, try to go to the preview and look through the box lots of toys and junk. Locate boxes that appear to have had whole junk drawers dumped into them. End of the year or mid-inventory auctions have the most of these. You might also find the celluloid charms already picked out and sitting behind a locked glass case, but that's okay, too, because most folks won't even bid on them and you'll get them for a good price.

At yard sales and estate sales, look in craft and art supplies. I've found many charms in boxes and bags of supplies kept for doll houses and even floral arrangements. I've also found a few at flea markets, not from the jewelry vendors, but from the guys that sell military metals and coins and such. I kid you not, and I got them for next to nothing!

Remember though, these are not going to be right out in the open. You're going to have to dig deep and look in the right places. Try to remember where you kept your charms and treasures when you were a kid. Look inside the boxes of old games, even if you don't want the game. Kids used to replace game pieces with gumball trinkets and charms. I actually found some in a cubbie hole of an old attic during an estate sale. I also found old games the auctioneers had missed and they gave them all to me for a good price!