Hopalong Cassidy Facts, Trivia and Collectibles

Buying a forty-year-old cookie box for $1,700. Or an empty can of green beans for $800. may seem crazy to most collectors these days, but when items bear the Hopalong Cassidy name, almost anything is possible.

• Collecting Hoppy is Hot!

Assorted pictures and prices for Hopalong Cassidy collectibles.

• Picture Price Guide

Take a ride back to the days of our youth, to the time when the values that Hoppy espoused were real and the good guys didn't always wear white! Joe Caro takes us back in time with his book, Hopalong Cassidy Collectibles.

• More on Hopalong Cassidy Collectibles Book

Joe Caro's interview with Spiegle on how he became Hoppy's illustrator.

• Interview with Spiegle

Text list of values and prices for Hopalong Cassidy memorabilia from Joe Caro.

• Hopalong Values

What does he use at friday night poker games? Aluminum Hoppy coins!

• The Bad Guy - Jack Elam
• The Coin Story

Born: June 5, 1895 in Cambridge Ohio, raised in Tulsa, Ok
Died: September 12, 1972

Although he was considered a movie idol in the silent movies, well before the days of Hopalong Cassidy, Hoppy is the only role we identify him with. Hopalong Cassidy movies started in 1935 and he was one of the original good guys. He didn't smoke, drink, or swear and apparently rarely kissed a girl. No wonder the little boys loved him so much!

Boyd bought the rights to his movies and probably was one of the early ones to see the value of licensing his name and image. There were hundreds of items produced with his picture on it, including the first pictorial lunch box in 1950 made by Aladdin Industries.

I'm a little bit sad that today's youth don't have a hero like him, a hero that had a honor creed for boys and girls, never allowed his character to be shown participating in even the mildest of vices and was the original good guy, even though he wore black.