Help in identifying test cans

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zoinkss
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Help in identifying test cans

#1

Post by zoinkss »

A local collector in our group purchased a unique collection that had a lot of examples of cans I had never seen.
Most of them aluminum but there were a lot of test cans. I am not sure if any of them are documented and which ones are test cans. There were a lot of export cans as well. The pictures I have just show a smattering of them.
Any help in identifying if they are test cans, test market cans or not test cans at all would help. As he does not collect them, he wants to make sure they are documented before he sells them.
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Re: Help in identifying test cans

#2

Post by Beercanpete »

Here's what I know about them:

Pic 1, Hamm's Blue LIon, tougher export to Japan
Pics 2/3, I think those are all regular issue cans
Pics 4/5, nice selection of Lone Stars. The "Tall Tex" Beer in the bottom row is pretty tough to find.
Pics 6/7, I think the 12 oz. Country Club Ale is a test can, never seen one before. The 16 oz. was sold in the 90's, but not real easy to find.
Pic 8, Portland MB, another tougher export to Japan
Pics 9/10, JJ Jones, another export, this one a little easier to find
Pics 11/12, I think the 24 oz. OM was out in the mid 2000's. The second one was the Canadian version I think.
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Re: Help in identifying test cans

#3

Post by zoinkss »

Thanks Pete,
The Hamms is a wrapped Blue Lion is a wrapped can if I remember right so I thought it was a test export can. I don't ever remember seeing anything like it. Schmidt had that red design but I thought it was only in 12oz cans. Keep me posted if anyone knows any more.
I will send the info to my friend.
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Re: Help in identifying test cans

#4

Post by MI-Cans »

Hamm's Big Bear can.

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Re: Help in identifying test cans

#5

Post by kamsquared »

Check the UPC code on the side of the can.... Test cans with unique labels will have a UPC code of 000000000.
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Re: Help in identifying test cans

#6

Post by golf_lover44 »

The red 16 oz Schmidt's with the silhouette of a mountain lion is a real, not test, can. I have it in my collection.

In the photo of 5 Hamm's cans I have 4 of them in my collection, missing the Draft shown.

Almost all of the Lone Star 12 and 16 oz cans in the 2 pictures are real, not test cans. I have several and a chapter member has several others.
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Re: Help in identifying test cans

#7

Post by jinsequa »

Yep....didn't see anything there that was not a production can of some type. The Portland list Lacrosse (if I remember right) but was actually filled in Portland, Oregon and shipped overseas. (labeling laws don't apply if you are selling it to some other countries) There are 2 variations of that one out there. The Hamm's export has a matching "Forrest's" can that is exactly the same except for the name. They came out of Tumwater, Washington. Probably the best two in the pics......The rest of the Hamm's are pretty common.
That Big Bear comes in at least 4 variations of that label. Pretty common.
I have seen the country club 16 oz......but not sure about that 12 oz. Who is the brewer and cities listed on the 12 oz. country club?

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Re: Help in identifying test cans

#8

Post by jomama »

golf_lover44 wrote: Sun Oct 07, 2018 3:08 pm The red 16 oz Schmidt's with the silhouette of a mountain lion is a real, not test, can. I have it in my collection.

In the photo of 5 Hamm's cans I have 4 of them in my collection, missing the Draft shown.

Almost all of the Lone Star 12 and 16 oz cans in the 2 pictures are real, not test cans. I have several and a chapter member has several others.
The 'lion' Schmidts may have come from different breweries. I had one from San Antonio, Texas. mine was a 12oz
I believe I have all the cans in photos 2-3-4 (except the 24's) depending on possible variations. Not sure about documented or not.
The Old Milwaukee is from Canada.. This was the reverse label to some of the early Milwaukee 'Girls' cans (2005 ish)





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