Remember all those parking meters you’ve cursed over the years? Perhaps you’ve even physically abused one or two of them.

Well, guess what? They’re now valuable antiques.

Mark Whitely, of Newmarket Antique Mall, was one of the exhibitors at last weekend’s Thornbury Antique Show and Sale at the Beaver Valley Community Centre.

Whitely describes his collection as “eccentric” -- an apt description given that the display in his booth ranged from the antique parking meters to a wooden merry-go-round horse to hurricane lamps and jewellery.

Whitely had only recently obtained the parking meters and hadn’t had a chance to look into their history. They were probably from about the late 1950s, he said.

The coin slots on the double-headed meter were set up to accept nickels, dimes and quarters, although the slots could have been changed over the years as parking rates were increased.

The three-day show, organized by Cliff Golas and Connie Wills, of Georgian Antiques Digest magazine and Thornbury’s Art and Glass Studio,  attracted thousands of visitors. Several exhibitors said sales were good and Golas said he noticed an unusually-large amount of antique home furnishings selling at this show.

Dressers seemed to be especially popular.

The next show will be the winter event, set to take place in February.