Old Beer Tap Knobs

We all know what a draft beer tap handle is, but one collectible in a class of it's own are the old beer tap knobs. These are usually round, similar to a door knob, small and bear the name or brand of beer.

They are also known as markers, knobers, marker knobs, ball taps and a variety of other similar names. These are different than the typical long skinny tap handles we are all familiar with. The markers were introduced first, when it became law after prohibition to display the brand of beer being drawn. Most of these beer tap knobs that we seek today are from the 1930's-late 1950's era.

1940's Budweiser Tap Marker

These old draft beer markers are fun to collect because they are solid, small and look really great when displayed properly. They can be a bit pricey for the rare ones, but the nice thing about this collectible is that there are a lot of different brands and styles out there, easily a few thousand!

Because of the large number of ball tap markers floating around, it's not too difficult to find some really cool looking ones at reasonable prices. Even on sites like eBay some of the sellers don't really know what they have and you can get good deals if you are persistent.

Of course, a yard sale, flea market or estate sale is where you'll likely find the best deals if you are lucky enough to stumble upon a few. You would be surprised though. Most people aren't exactly sure what they are yet don't throw them out because they look so cool!

"Buy vintage beer tap knobs at discount prices!"