Old Beer Signs and Clocks

It stands to reason that old vintage beer signs and clocks would be amongst the most collectible items in the breweriana category and they certainly are! A quick search on eBay will show thousands of these collectibles listed everyday, many of which are quite beautiful and valuable.

A beautiful Iron City Beer/Clock sign w/night skyline-1970s

 One of the reasons these pieces are so popular is their price-points. Whether you are shopping on eBay, an estate sale, flea market or a yard sale, these old signs and clocks can be found from a few dollars to a few hundred. Whatever a persons reason for wanting one of these beer branded pieces of memorabilia, a reasonable price can usually be agreed upon.

 

Lighted Strohs Life Preserver bar sign

 If one desires an old Budweiser beer clock for their man cave for no other purpose than to give it a bar look, then you will likely have a huge choice of reasonably priced items. Popular brands like Bud, Miller, Blatz, Coors and such are easily found at very low prices if you aren't looking for rare collectibles.

This old Falstaff Sign has moving pendulum mugs.  It should have been a clock!

Many of the lighted signs and clock/sign combos you run across look a little rough in the light. They may be yellowed from smoke and age, cracked or even chipped. As long as it works, it will still look beautiful all lit up in a dark room. In fact, if it's not too worn,it may even look better, more natural than one in mint condition! Use it's worn out look as a bargaining tool with the seller and you will likely walk away with a true gem for your man-cave or home bar for a steal!

Vintage Blatz beer clock barrel man w/bobbing head!

Of course, if you are hardcore collector seeking a very rare beer sign or clock, you'll likely have to fork over a bit more cash. Still, you'll likely be able to find what you need with a little more effort.

Ballantine Beer Clocks

Has anybody noticed the prices on Ballantine beer clocks lately? Wow! Sure, bar clocks have always been a hot item amongst breweriana collectors, but it seems in the past 2 months or so this particular clock is commanding some fairly hefty cash.

I love the Ballantine clocks, and have more than a few myself in the beer room. I'm almost tempted to list a few and see what happens.

Vintage 1963 Pam Lighted Clock Ballantine Beer 15x15

 I have one square red one, just the pictured here, that I won't part with as it is in pristine condition and it just looks so good hanging over my bar in the dimly lit room.

some of the other ones however, I could probably part with if it means making a profit and thus allowing me to feed my collecting addiction even more!

P. Ballantine & Sons Blue Bar Clock

 It's the square ones, the 15 x 15 inch size, that are getting all the attention lately. Just goes to show you how this crazy hobby can trend from one extreme to the other. Less than a year ago I recall these very same Ballantine bar clocks, in similar condition, going for less than $50 almost daily. Now I'm seeing $75-$125!

Valuable Beer Cans

Often when someone is new to collecting beer cans, or anything for that matter, they want to know what is most valuable. Most collectors who are passionate about their beer can collection will tell you they are all valuable.

Collecting truly is a passion for most, and not a business venture. Different cans from varying time periods or locations have individual values to people. Some monetary, some emotional or sentimental.

This Busch beer tab top test can  sold for $430.00 on eBay!

With vintage beer cans, there are so many out there it's tough to place a title as "most valuable" for these. Even in strictly a money sense, cans go up and down in value according to supply and demand.

Supply and demand go up and down for who knows why! It's one of the crazy, unpredictable and fun givens when it comes to collecting.

Of course, there are some very valuable cone top and flat top beer cans out there that are rare to start with and in pristine condition too. Those I suppose could be placed in the top 10% most valuable beer cans.

This Krueger  Flat Top w/ Opening Instructions ran somebody a cool  $735

But truly the value of beer cans is totally dependent on the relationship  between the person selling and person buying. If you've got what he wants, and a trade is in order, how do you place a value on that?

I think the most valuable beer cans are those that make up a set for a collector. It doesn't have to be a series type of set, but rather what the collector considers a set. If this collector wants every type of can with every flaw from the beginning of the brewery, then even some of the not so rare cans will be valuable to him when discovered, even if the seller deems it to have little value.

This super clean Metz Malt Liquor Flat Top was valued at $430.00 according to the highest bidder. There were 21 bids.

I always try to upgrade my cans. I have a relatively small collection of about 500 cans, but my cans are all in order and in very good condition. I know what I have and when I find a can in better shape than the one I have, I buy it and sell the old one.

Often, believe it or not, I pay less for the new one than the one I end up selling! And from a collectors point of view, the new one will always be a better addition, and should bring in more money, but it doesn't always work that way with what most people would consider valuable beer cans.

Spuds Mackenzie Merchandise

It's hard for me to believe it's been over 20 years since this famous English bull terrier stopped peddling Bud Light with his cute TV ads.

Spuds Mackenzie was actually a female, and died in 1993. She was 70 years old...in dog age! 10 in people age.

There was a ton of merchandise put out in the 1980's with this logo on it. It is still highly sought after today, particularly some of the bar-ware.

Authentic Original Vintage Spuds MacKenzie Bud Light T-Shirt

My Shirt is Made in the USA label on Vintage Spuds Shirt from 1986

T-shirts, hats, beach balls, Igloo coolers, mirrors, umbrellas, duffel bags and countless other items could be found with his image. You couldn't walk down a busy street in the mid-late 80's without seeing someone sporting a Spuds shirt!

One item in particular that is very collectible today is the 3-D night light, or bar light. This little light has a pull chain and is lit by a small 10 watt bulb.

Vintage Spuds MacKenzie Bar Light 1987

 Amazingly, you can still find these Spuds Mackenzie lights through dealers or online auctions, although they are starting to get pricey for the nice ones. To be honest, even one that's got a little wear looks great when illuminated in the dark and you won't have to spend nearly as much for one!

T-shirts abound, but of course the true vintage ones are harder to find. There are many replicas and those will always be around as long as people still embrace this iconic dog. Many folks don't mind the replicas. I'm partial to the original Spuds beer shirts and am very careful in making sure I'm not purchasing a reproduction.

Giant Potosi Cone Top Beer Can

If you are ever traveling through Wisconsin, it might be worth your while to visit the worlds largest Cone top beer can! It's a giant replica of a 1950s Potosi Cone Top which stands over 40 feet high!The bottom of the "can" opens up and leads you into a bar, how cool!

You enter the bar through the doors of this classic cone top!

The town is appropriately named Potosi, as is the famous brewery. The building is now on the National Register of Historic Places and can be toured.

40 ft Potosi Cone Top Beer Can/Bar View from road.

It sounds like an interesting tour as the brewery is very old. There is a cave in which ice was harvested from the Mississippi river during the winter and stored in hay in order to keep the beer cool during summer. (an old Amish ice house trick!)

Vintage Potosi Cone Top Collector Can from 1950s

 There's a restaurant and they micro brew beer again. The place is doing well and doesn't appear to be in any danger of closing, although that wasn't the case before 1997 or Gary David and his cousins. They purchased the building and started the renaissance, saving the building and spurring economic growth to the community.

Collectors can still find Potosi cone tops at shows and online auctions for their displays. The "Good Old Potosi Beer" slogan still makes a great piece of beer memorabilia, especially the cone tops of the 1950s.

Old Schmidt's Beer Coolers

We all know that vintage beer coolers are quite popular collectibles, but lately there seems to be a demand for the Old Schmidt's beer coolers made of steel.

I checked out a few websites, including eBay, and found that these coolers are selling anywhere from $40-$120, depending on condition. Most of the ones I saw were actually in decent condition. Little rust or stains.

Old Schmidt beer coolers are hot collectibles!

I think they are a nice looking cooler and would look great in any "beer can room" or display area. I'm not sure why the sudden demand for this particular brand but keep your eyes open and you might just find yourself a collectible gem!

Yard sales, garage sales or estate sales are your likely hot spots. These coolers are easy to spot from the road sitting amongst the clutter in a yard. The bright red top (lid) and shiny steel sides is a dead giveaway, even from a distance!

My favorite place for beer memorabilia is eBay. I always check there first when I'm seeking a new item for my collection. I can get a general idea of value and availability, if nothing else. Usually, however, I end up placing some bids and come away a winner!

I really like the fact I can search for things on eBay. I can place my bid and move on. If I win, I'm thrilled. If the item goes too high, I just forget about and usually another listing will appear within a week and I try again!

With Spring fast approaching, I think I'll try my luck locating my Schmitds beer cooler at the yard/garage sales that will be cropping up everywhere very soon!

Vintage Bud Shirts Still Hot Sellers

Vintage collectibles are very popular today and Bud shirts from the 1970's and 1980's are no exception. Those were the years when T-Shirts were wildly popular, even amongst women, and a lot of thought went into the designs.

Vintage 80's  Budweiser Beer Full Print T-Shirt USA

 Budweiser shirts from this era are easy to find on eBay, but beware of the knock-offs! There are a lot of re-prints based off of the original shirts, and these are a lot cheaper than the originals.

Some people don't mind, and often these re-prints are preferred because of the price and sizing choices available.

However, if you are seeking a genuine vintage Budweiser T-shirt, button down collared, or any old Bud clothing, you'll need to be a little more diligent in your searches.

Vintage 1980's "Bud Bowl" Shirts are very popular even today!

 It's not difficult to sort the new from the vintage. The first search you may want to try is adding the word "vintage" to your words. This will eliminate a lot of merchandise that is titled as new.

You can also add a price range. So, for example, if you wanted a vintage Budweiser T shirt, you put that in your search and on the left column of the eBay page, you'll see a place were you can mark price. Try putting in something like $20 for your minimum and $50 for your maximum.

This will further eliminate the new re-printed products and give you a much narrower list of true vintage Bud shirts to choose from.

Vintage Bud Man Collectible Memorabilia

Thousands of Bud man collectibles or memorabilia have made their way into the market and have become a symbol of classical following and rich history for the many Budweiser fans. Thousands of people the world over amass valuable collectibles from their favorite brand and therefore solidify their loyalty for the brands and what the memorabilia stands for. The Budweiser name is one such symbol and with the large American following, Bud Man Collectibles are a favorite in memorabilia. Some of the easily memorable Bud Man collectibles include a host of neon signs, bottles, wall clocks, stickers, watches, dolls, steins and glasses.


Some items were released for the purpose of advertising and others as collector items. A range of collectable items from shirts to hoodies and hats from the 80s; these are some of the items people hold on to as their vintage collections. A host of Bud Man vintage shirts from the 80s and 70s are still in possession by some die hard fans; for instance there’s one shirt from the 80 which has a Budweiser gag that sold out when it came out, but can be found in some vintage collection stores.

The vintage Bud man steins are still highly sought after collectibles.

A host of items are collected each year and thousands are sold online to people who attach certain memories to them. As is the case with Bud Man collectibles, if one particular product is rare and was produced in low amounts, then it would probably be more valuable and in the same way have more sentimental value to it. Any one of the many products produced by Bud Man from shirts to signs and clocks, each type of product has some special meaning to someone and would therefore be invaluable.


Even if you’re not one of the people who had fun with the original versions of these products, you can still manage to enjoy them and make some memories of your own. Hats for instance are popular among the younger people and can be obtained easily from stores. As mentioned, when buying any of these collectibles one of the factors that determine their value is whether it was a limited edition or an open production. A limited edition would immediately be granted more value in its scarcity.

Budman stickers were everywhere in the 70's & 80's & now make inexpensive memorabilia!

Open production for particular hats, shirts and the likes will usually go on until the demand for that particular product wears off. These ones also happen to be the least expensive of their production. Conversely, if the product was only released for a short period of time then it would be harder to get due to scarcity and it would be valued higher.

"Find a huge variety of vintage Bud Man collectibles for your collection at bargain prices!"

This is pretty much the process that goes into the production of a particular type of stein. If the brewer produces it for a short time and quickly cancels the brand, whether or not it was due to unpopularity or not, it is expected that the mug will be more expensive. When it first comes out, the mug is sold at the current market prices but after some time the prices may start to fluctuate due to a number of reasons. Supply and demand will invariably affect the costs of products and its pretty much the same case here with beer mugs and all the other items produced by Bud Man.


As a popular mascot for the Budweiser beer, Bud Man Doll has experienced years of dauntless defender of quality and adoration from fans over the forty years or so it has existed. When it came out in 1969 it created a huge following of loyal fans and over the years has become of the few collectables to be integrated into the world of comedy. It was the inspiration behind the Simpson’s character Duff Man. As a popular product, this doll can be found on any one of the major retailers or auction sites on the internet or in stores and it goes for a reasonable price.


Just like the mugs and dolls, people get attached to the collectibles and resort to accumulate them in their houses for memories. This is what leads people to search and purchase older models of steins, which a lot of people may not find particularly thrilling to have. People who sell these collectables may also benefit by tracking down private collectors, who usually pay higher for these items.

Beautiful Helbros Bud Man novelty watch w/original tags.

If a scarce collectable happens to be in good condition it will of course be more valuable. This then puts more emphasis on good packaging. Some of these items were released over 30 years ago and so would obviously be worn out somewhat, if the owner used them for a while. To make sure you don’t wear out your piece you could buy two products and then put one in a special place. This way you get to enjoy it and get top save its duplicate for memories. Steins are particularly more vulnerable to getting ruined because they could easily break and more so after you get drunk.


To avoid this you could accumulate on more than one collectible and so have a lot more items to relish from the good old days. If you bought and kept the collectable in its original packaging then you’d be in a better position to benefit from it because the original packaging inspires more authenticity and value. The Bad Man Mascot has been a very popular series which can come quite big, at 10”. This one goes for $100 but then the prices tend to fluctuate due to a number of reasons.


You can get yourself any one of the poplar ones now and in the next 15 years or so you could auction it for a lot more. For the person not really interested in the business aspect of it, the items could be just a way to make sure in the future you feel innately connected to the fun you’re having currently, and be able to steal some physical memories with you into the future.


Apart from the Dauntless Defender of Quality and all the steins available, you could choose from a number of shirts, hats, belt buckles and a lot of costumes and they are all available now. Get yourself something special from the large selection of beautiful Bud man collectables you can purchase and make merry. They’re all available online.

Video Collectible Flat Top Beer Cans

Here's a pretty cool video of some nice flat top beer cans. It moves fast and the music is great if you are in a Texas shuffle blues mood.

I estimate there's about 200 different cans shown here. Hard to believe but that's just a drop in the bucket of what's out there to be found. No wonder we love can collecting so much! The possibilities are endless! There's got to be thousands of different designs, brands and cans spread across the country!

  

"Buy vintage flat top beer cans right now at discount prices"

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!"

Jax Beer Memorabilia

Some of the most exciting displays have at least a few JAX beer memorabilia pieces to show off. This vintage New Orleans beer has become quite the sought after name for hobbyists and hardcore collectors alike.

 The older JAX collectibles, like the Red & Black flat top cans are hard to find in super good condition. It is interesting how JAX had such a connection with the other states in the area besides it's own Louisiana, particularly Texas. This is evident on many of the memorabilia pieces found today.

Vintage 1960'S JAX Beer Metal Ashtray Pin Up Girl

JAX beer 1940's ceramic ashtray Jackson Brewery New Orleans LA

 

While most beer memorabilia brands can be found on cans and signs, JAX had a lot of unique advertisements. Items such as buttons, ashtrays, serving trays, mugs, Penguin lighters and openers are highly sought after breweriana pieces today.

JAX Dumper Can

The artwork on some of these pieces is quite impressive, as was most of it on any brand on vintage pieces. Some of the risque girls on the promotions are quite collectible today. The older pieces from the 1940s are very hard to find but are still out there. Wall mounted openers and steel ashtrays from that period will last forever. It's just a matter of locating them!

Vintage 1960's JAX Beer Serving Tray

Lately there have been a lot of JAX dump cans showing up at can conventions and online auctions. For most people, this is the best that can be had with such a hard to find can. With more people getting into this type of beer can restoring, the cans don't look too bad, especially when displayed alongside your other JAX memorabilia pieces.

Vintage Beer Logo Hats

 "Find a great selection of of beer hat memorabilia for your collection at discount prices!"

If you are into vintage beer memorabilia, beer logo hats are a fantastic piece to add to your collection! There were many styles and colors created throughout the years and the pre-1980 hats are of outstanding quality, often made in USA and union made!

Schmidt Original 1970s Knit Ski Cap

Remember the classic Budweiser bucket hats with the logo all over the place? Or the famous Fisherman's or truckers hats? These classic styles can still be found with just a little bit of searching. Often they are still in fantastic condition and the prices are amazingly low for such great finds!

Check your thrift stores. If you find one of these beauties there, you'll get it for a steal! Yard sales, garage sales and even estate sales are a good place too. 

Pabst Blue Ribbon Pom Pom Ski Cap

My favorite is eBay. There is usually a very good selection and therefore I can find what I need or want. I like the idea of bidding too. If it's more than I want to spend, I simply wait another few days and usually the same hat will be made available by another seller. If it's one I really want, there's often a "Buy it Now' option that I'll take advantage of to insure I get the hat I need without risking losing the auction.

Vintage Budweiser Truckers Cap Plaid

Classic Vintage Schlitz Crusher

Whether you are into vintage and classic headgear or strictly beer brand hats, these collectibles are a great find because of their eye appeal and affordable prices. A few well placed vintage beer logo hats will enhance any breweriana display or game room!

Beer Brand Matchbooks

I've seen some pretty impressive collections of vintage beer brand matchbooks in my travels and I have to say this can be a great hobby to get into for several reasons!

There are still a lot of matchbooks out there at yard sales, garage sales and estate sales. They can usually be purchased for a really cheap price, which is one positive aspect of this hobby. It's practically recession proof!
 

Vintage Pabst Blue Ribbon Matchbook

Online auctions like eBay are another good place to find these pieces if you are trying to find specific brands or rare, unusually packaged brands. Even the rarest of beer branded advertisement matches can be found a very reasonable prices these days.

Another is that there were a massive array of brands produced and still out there! Displayed properly, these little collectibles can really spruce up a can display, game room or home bar. Just lay a few of your favorite beer logo matches around the same brand ashtrays and you've just created a time warp into the past!

 Vintage Hamm's beer matchbook front & back 

Storing them is super easy too! They weigh practically nothing and take up very little space, making them easy to transport or store.

I collected matchbooks as a kid. My Uncles and parent's friends used to save them for me in their travels and I had quite a collection, including a lot of beer label covers. Unfortunately, I lost that collection somewhere down the road of life. Most of them were in mint condition too! Grrr!

Hawaiian Beer Shirts

 Vintage beer shirts are a popular hobby, particularly the T-shirts of famous labels. However, a lesser known collectible are tropical or Hawaiian beer shirts. These shirts are usually button ups, not your typical tee, but these tropical patterns can certainly be found on them.

One of the most sought after shirt collectibles is the Primo Hawaiian beer shirt. These shirts from the 1960's - 1970's era are highly collectible and quite the head turner!

 Vintage Primo Hawaiian Beer Shirts are highly collectible!

These shirts are button ups and usually have a collar. Some of the styles have little coconut shells for buttons! The designs are always eye catching and the overall quality of the shirts are generally very good.

"Buy Vintage Hawaiian Beer Shirts at discount prices"

If you are lucky enough to find one of these shirts, chances are you'll have to put out a little cash. They typically sell from $25-$100 on eBay and can go even higher if they are in pristine condition! While that may seem a little steep, it's probably the best chance you'll have at finding one, especially in your size.

1970's Primo Hawaiian Beer Shirt

The best deals on these shirts will be at a thrift store. Although rare, they can be found at these stores and they will be priced low! It pays to run through the Hawaiian shirt rack since you are already there and they are easily spotted. Of course, it's even luckier if you find your size but even if you don't, you can easily sell it on eBay and use the money for one that fits you!

Black Hibiscus Beer & Ale Hawaiian Shirt

If you like garage sales, yard sales etc, that is another place you can find these but again, you are going to need a lot of luck just finding one let alone finding one that fits!

Budweiser Hawaiian Surfer Theme Shirt

Budweiser had a few surf and tropical themed vintage shirts as well as Corona and a few other brands, but without a doubt, it's the old Primo Beer Hawaiian shirts that most collectors seek when looking for a Hawaiian themed beer shirt.

Cone Top Beer Can Sample

Anyone into beer can collecting has probably heard the term cone top, but perhaps you are new to collecting and not sure what that means. Below are a few cone top beer can samples and some brief explanations.

These cans have a pointed top, or spout-like appearance and were capped like a soda bottle would be. A can opener (or bottle opener) were needed to pop the top and drink the beverage. They were introduced around 1935. There are four kinds of cone top cans. The tops or "cones" of the can is what make the biggest differences. Read more about the history of cone tops and the manufacturing contribution these cans had in beer can development.

The low profile cone top can was the first of this style. They had a flat bottom and you could see the shape of cone's bent steel, or the ribs, pointing outwards. A few years later the bottom was modified to be concave.
 

1930's Rainer "Low Profile" cone top beer can

 The J-Spout was right behind the low profile can in production. It was first manufactured in 1937. This design looked more like the traditional glass beer bottle necks and a few dozen brewing companies used this type of conetop. 

Dawson's Pale Ale J-Spout

By the time 1938 came around the American Can Co started manufacturing another type of cone top, the high profile can. This was a huge success. After the war, (World War II), this type of can became even more popular. It was to become the most widely used design.

Canadian Ale Brand Beer "High Profile" cone top

The last innovation in style for the cone top was the Crowntainer, designed and manufactured by a company known as Crown Cork & Seal. The company produced cans for nearly 100 different beer companies. CC&S was the only can company making this style. White and Silver color was very common, no matter what the beer brand. These cans were used up until about the middle 1950's.

London Bobby Ale Crowntainer Cone Top

Collectible Vintage Beer Openers

We've all seen the old steel churchkey can openers that were popularized by the beer companies during the flat top era. These vintage openers were given away with the purchase of beer, often with the brand stamped onto the steel handle.

 These Schlitz church key beer openers are an example of the many brands in this style that can be purchased cheap and often in lots.

Those old church key openers are fun to collect. They can easily be found in lots, many times with several different brands included. They are inexpensive and relatively easy to find and they look great amongst your cans or game room bar!

I personally prefer the fancier ones. Often these were reserved for taverns and bar owners. Sometimes they were used as gifts or for special event give aways.

It is amazing how many different shapes and sizes can be found with what seems an endless list of beer brands or brewery names on them. Some are quite detailed and the engraving can be beautiful. The cast iron molded ones will last forever and many of those can be found in great condition.

Vintage Old German Beer Opener

When manufacturing techniques of the 1950's and 60's started to become more efficient and cheaper, some really interesting innovations in these beer openers became very popular. The "sliders" which were housed in a handle much like a knife blade were quite popular as were the miniature beer cans with the opener on top or as a slider. 

A fantastic find! Vintage Iroquois Indian Head Beer Bottle Opener.

 Today these collectible vintage beer openers are highly sought after by both collectors and hobbyists alike. They can turn up quite often at flea markets, garage sales and estate sales. They are small, easy to display and eye catching, making this hobby quite addicting to many who start!

Beer Can Dumping

You've heard of dumpster diving but how about beer can dumping or just dumping? It seems there are a lot of beer can collectors getting into this and if you like the outdoors and walking in the woods, this could be for you!

Most homes, camps or neighborhoods had small dumping areas instead of garbage pickup, particularly in the rural areas. Garbage such as old food, coffee grinds, fruit skins and such were often used in compost piles. Wood and paper was burned and plastic was hardly known. Cans and glass were buried.

If there was a beer drinker in the area, chances are there were plenty of old flat top and cone top cans deposited into that dump! Now you would think the cans would be disintegrated by now but often they are not and the paint on the outside was very durable.

Though the cans look horrible when found, often they can be cleaned in a special cleaning procedure with citrus acid that brings them back to life in a way most of us would never think possible!

These before and after cleaning of dump cans is amazing to me!

This has become a fun hobby for many can collectors and even profitable for a few as many of these cans will be brought back to display condition. While it is unlikely that a dump can will clean up to grade A quality, or even close to it, the older cans are amazingly nice looking and make great additions to many collectors displays. Where else are you going to find cans that old that are affordable?

I love the idea. If I were younger I'd be hitting the woods and doing this. I remember as a teen sifting through dumps and finding all kinds of cone top cans, particularly Duke cans, and just discarding them! That was almost 40 years ago. I wonder if those cans are still there and if they'd clean up!

Finding old Beer Collectibles & Memorabilia

While old beer cans are probably the most sought after pieces in this collectors niche, there are many other related items that people seek.

Old can openers with beer brand names stamped on them, ashtrays, serving trays, pens, tap handle and knobs, advertisement signs, clocks, menu boards, calendars, shirts, hats, toys and Zippo lighters are just some of the many brew-mania items people collect.

Finding this memorabilia is not difficult, but often finding it in good condition or locating specific pieces can be challenging! If you are rather new to can collecting, you'll find cans at almost any flea market across the nation. The chances of finding any of real value is slim, but if you are just starting a collection or going to be at the flea market anyways, it's well worth it to check out those boxes of old beer cans!

Yard & Garage sales often have boxes or "lots" of old beer cans for sale

Along the same line are garage sales, yard sales and estate sales or auctions. Often at these places you can find neon signs, beer clocks or wooden crates in excellent condition, especially at the estate sales. I like to stay away from the auctions and stick to sales where you can just walk in, look around and buy. Auctions generally take too long for all you are going to get a chance to bid on. However, if you really know what you want and the piece is very hard to find and being offered, then by all means go for it!

These beer signs & other memorabilia were found in the basement of an estate sale.

Be sure to check out everything real good at these sales. Search every room. Often in the kitchen you can find old beer openers, church-keys, serving trays or ashtrays mixed amongst the everyday household bowls and silverware! And don't forget the basement or garage if there's stuff down there. This is generally where the men hang out and did their drinking!

If you are an outdoors-man and in the woods often, don't neglect to check out any old abandoned out buildings, garages, houses and cars. Many a cone top or flat top beer can has been found hiding in these places in very good condition as they were concealed from the elements of weathering.

Abandoned farms can yield some nice vintage beer cans!

Search the trunk of old cars and under the seats. In the building, look in odd places like behind and around the furnace, fireplace or work areas in basements. Check any ledges above doorways, I-beams or cubby holes. Guys would often stash a can somewhere like this and forget about it.

Abandoned junk cars can be hiding some great cone tops or flat tops, often in fantastic condition!

Online auctions as well as online stores are another great way to find exactly what you are looking for. There are several web stores exclusively devoted to collectible beer cans and beer memorabilia. Most of these are rather expensive as they tend to supply either very rare brands or memorabilia that is in excellent high grade condition. A great way to enhance your collection or display if you are past the "starting out" point.


However, the online auctions can yield some pretty nice collectibles and the fact you can search is terrific for finding exactly what you are looking for. You'll have more variety to choose from and because of the bidding you could end up with an incredible bargain!

Often these auction sites have many listings for "lots" of cans, a great way to get a jump-start on a beer can collection if you are just starting out. You'll also find all the other beer collectibles like toys, trays, pens, lighters etc in one place and if you win the auction, it is delivered right to your mailbox!