Antique Mall Hat Trick

[Tinman]

I stopped by one of the local antique malls a few weeks back and was pleasantly surprised to find three cans from three different dealers worth picking up. Most times in the antique malls here in the Toronto area one would be very lucky to find one item worth bringing home.

The Pepsi retirement can is a welcomed addition to my soda collection, the IPA which was still full when I bought it had started to leak along the seam so I emptied it to try and stop any further paint loss, a nice addition to my trade stock. Any idea's on how to control the peeling?

The Black Label has a bank top which I'm not too keen on, which brings me to a cross road, when I send it out to have a proper lid installed, should I have a FT installed which would make it the very desirable 4-19AC OR should I have him put a zip top on it, which would make it the equally desirable but very elusive 4-19A. For those who don't have a copy of the Canadian guide here's a picture of what I'm referring to....You can click to enlarge...

Any thoughts or input would be appreciated.

[idigrust]

More Hockey Analogy - He Shoots, He Scores !!!

[Beercanpete]

If you really can't make up your mind on the Black Label here's a third option. I don't have it either way so you could send it to me ... real nice pick up!

[jinsequa]

I think that replacing a lid and choosing the lid that matches a rare can you want is kind of like reproducing something? It makes it a "reproduction" in my book and lord knows there is already enough flats out there that have suddenly become rare zip tops. I understand replacing an original rusty can lid with an original matching donor lid but changing the lid to a non-original style of lid puts it into a whole new ethical category. When this "rare can" hits the market again someday long in the future, someone will buy it with authenticity in mind and it won't be unless the swapped lid is engraved "reproduction". It will further diminish the worth of the collections that do hold an original can and unfairly increase the value of the franken-can. I personally have three "Ditto" cans that are very well done artistic knockoffs of Olde Style Beer from Salem Brewery Association. I bought them from Ditto because I thought they were artistically cool and he is a good graphic artist, but for the good of the hobby I engraved "Reproduction" on the can seams. I would leave the bank top as it was originally produced by Carling, continue the hunt for the real thing, and not settle for something I had made. We all make our own decisions on what we want and have in our collection but sometimes those wants conflict with the justifiable needs of the hobby as a whole.

Eric

[Mike S]

^^^^ what he said, i would leave it the way it is. Have you seen this as a bank top before? Maybe it's even tougher that way though some guys won't like it because it didn't hold beer...

Mike S

[foreigncanman]

I would absolutely leave it as the bank top I would put it in the flat top zsection . It is what is is which is a great can in a bank top. The worst sitation is when a transitional flat sheet is to be rolled. In that case I would roll it into the most likely variety which woiuld have been a flat top in this case. It will look great as a back in your collection.

[foreigncanman]

By the way my zip top is ma ccc59

[Sea Monkey]

I agree more or less with Jinsequa.

If the can ONLY came in a flat top for example, I wouldn't have too much problem putting a flat lid on it. When you don't know what is authentic or could go different ways, that is when I would leave it alone. Nice can as it sits. Great score!

[Leon]

I don't think Art would put any lid on any can. If what lid is Questionable Art might not do it? LEON.

[curt]

nice Dave!

[Tinman]

By the way my zip top is ccc59

Thanks Tom!

[Tinman]

^^^^ what he said, i would leave it the way it is. Have you seen this as a bank top before? Maybe it's even tougher that way though some guys won't like it because it didn't hold beer...

Mike S

If memory serves me well, I saw four or five FT's and one Zip Top while researching the Canadian Beer can reference guide. No bank tops. Is there any collectors on here that I wasn't able to go through their Canadian stuff while researching the guide have one?

For now it'll stay as is...

Thanks all for the input.

[foreigncanman]

I've never seen a bank top of this and have seen only 2 zips.

[Canadacan]

It's even rarer as a bank top!

[Tinman]

I've never seen a bank top of this and have seen only 2 zips.

Do you recall if the other zip you saw was CCC59

[foreigncanman]

Didn't see the side of the other zip so not sure.

[Daev Larrazolo]

I thought they could tell by the thickness of the metal whether it’s a flat top or a pulltab can

[roosterman]

Whoa, that is quite a scoop, especially that Black Label. I wouldn't touch that bank top (which I have never seen a bank top of that vintage of Canadian can ever) Makes for a one of and a good story.