Now I know why I've been saving them

There is a reason to keep Altoids tins, apart from the fact that they're just plain too nice to throw away. There are plenty of items that are not good quality but that people buy for the packaging. Altoids are good and so are the tins. At least one person out there is constructing Altoid-tin shrines. I can't believe I've never seen this before, but bananaflip is where I first saw one. The tins will stand open on end in the same way that a daguerrotype case will. It's at bananaflip that I first learned of the Nervousness mail-art project. A Google on reusing Altoid tins elicits many a suggestion. This is an issue that has engaged the mental powers of many. Someone even dignified the use of Altoids tins to make tiny shrines by calling the result a diptych.