I have a client who's late husband had a few guns. One was a Remington 870 3 inch 12 gauge. He was apparently not much of a hunter, but I noticed he had a few boxes of really old shotgun shells.
All are Federal Hi-Power. There is one box of 2 3/4" 1 1/2 ounce #4 shot.
There are six boxes of 3" 1 5/8 ounce of # 6 shot. (that, to me makes them seem pretty old, as I thought 3" loads would have a heavier shot charge than that).
They are paper shells, with a cardboard wad at the crimp. Boxes are in perfect shape, as are the shells. All boxes are full.
They look to me like they are from the '50s.
What do you think they're worth?
Jim

Federal made the roll crimped shotshells up to about 1960.
Hi-Power was Federals high brass shotshell. Monarc (sp?) was their low brass shotshell for marketing purposes.

The type of graphics on the boxes will be a clue to a collector type as to production dates.
The ealier boxes have the beautiful watercolor type scenes printed on them of ducks and hunters. The later boxes use the simpler red, gold & black on the white cardboad background. A simple flying duck or other figure in a single color replaced the full color scenes.

There's usually a code stamped on or inside the box that they can decifer and get an idea of when it was made.
It all matters to the collector.
Need someone here to chime in with that sort of knowledge and a few pics of the boxes and ammo for them to see.

Could be $25/$30 a box ammo,,could be $100+ a box ammo. Hard to say. Don't go out and shoot it up till you find out.

A picture is worth 1,000 words.

__________________
"I also cook."

There was a picture of a duck, or maybe a goose on the side.
I ain't gonna shoot 'em. They're not mine.
Jim

Ward's collectibles (wardscollectibles.com) has an auction every 3 months or so with many shot shell boxes listed. They currently have an auction in progress (the auctions go for a month) and perhaps you can find something similar to the boxes you have.

yea boy that 3'' 1 5/8 oz #6 was hell of a good load for turkey my best pattern in the Remington 1100!

I know that the older shot shell boxes were collectable. Don't know about the shot shells.

I shot some old Winchester that had paper wads and after having the particles fly back at me in the light wind and getting in my eyes and mouth.............
I would say ........

Yes !!
Put those on the fire place mantle !!