Today marks a new feature on Potato Chip World - our first profile.
This installment focuses on Lee McG, a collector of Lay's memorabilia. Lee was gracious enough to participate in an interview last week, and shared insights on pricing, rare Frito Lay finds, and favorite chip flavors.
How did you get into collecting? How long have you been collecting?
I am a 17-year Frito Lay employee. I have collected over the years, but added quite a bit over last 3-4 years. I found a few items I liked, and (collecting) just became more of a hobby that got bigger.
What was the first piece of memorabilia you acquired? Why?
An old vintage Lay's jar. I loved the look and style of the old counter jars, and I have always been a fan of the old mascot ''Oscar the happy potato."
Where do you typically find your collectibles?
Common collectible locations: many on ebay, auctions, and antique stores.
Where do you go to research the items you buy? For example, how do you research past prices for items?
I typically Google items and find past auctions. Worthpoint, an online resource, shows previous auction items (note - this is a paid subscription site). I do Ebay history searches, and just watch items to see what they sell for. I have a good idea for most items but surprised from time to time
How is value assigned to the memorabilia?
I do research on previous sales of items but assess based on age, condition, and rarity of the item.
What's your favorite piece and why?
I have several that are favorites. But the favorite piece is always the next item added to the collection. My top 3 with favorite:
3. Frito kid string holder cool chalk ware piece. Chalk ware is a chalk-like material. In old country stores if items were wrapped in paper to package, they used string to tie. Many string holders were advertising faces or other Americana brands characters.
2. Vintage metal Fritos rack. It's a large rack with vintage Fritos,Tatos, and Cheetos logos on it.
1. My favorite due to rarity is an old Lay's bag with Oscar on front. It's labeled HW Lay Company, which is prior to Frito Lay
Enough about the collectibles. I'm hungry. What's your favorite potato chip?
I'm brand loyal - love the Frito Lay brands. I am a BBQ guy and love all the different variations. My favorites are regular BBQ and Sweet Heat, but the go to is Lays Honey BBQ. PHOTO GALLERY [caption id="attachment_316" align="alignleft" width="300"] A vintage zippo lighter with the original Lay's mascot, Oscar.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_315" align="alignleft" width="400"] A vintage Lay's bag[/caption]