Usually it is stuff that people don't think to keep that becomes valuable. It's called rarity.
Back when those purple VC Sports were current, they were not a model that was available to 'big box stores'.
Sold only by servicing dealers, and a very few hardware chains. So the shop would unpack and check over the mower before delivery, and dispose of the box and packing. Hence the buyer never even saw the box, in most cases.
I've taken many loads of boxes to the tip, back in the day...
And discovered that if you have a mower carton full of paper rubbish, and pour a few litres of petrol that's been used for parts cleaning inside it, you can get a really good fireball!
That's if you wait a couple of minutes before setting the nearby [not
too close though] rubbish alight, back in the days when it was OK to burn off at tips.
