Tougher aluminum or drawn steel cans

[CrustyRusty]

Is there any such threads already dedicated to this topic on the forum anywhere?, I did a search with no luck...would be nice to see others input on tougher aluminum cans, mostly concerning older aluminum cans, maybe even add drawn steel cans as well (excluding test cans), I really don't collect aluminum cans or drawn steel cans, but if there are some that are considered a hard or near impossible aluminum or drawn steel cans to be found out there, it would be nice to know so we can keep our eyes opened for such cans, maybe a list is in order for such cans in this category would be nice, I know the 8oz Miller soft cross is a desirable can, and I guess what got me thinking of this subject was that I was looking at a listing showing an Andeker can I didn't know about or just overlooked, would it be considered a tough aluminum can to be found?

[CrustyRusty]

Here's another Andeker variation that seams discreet?

[kamsquared]

The 8oz Miller soft cross is pretty common $1 can. The 12oz is the tough one...$200ish.....but I’m convinced it’s a test can.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ziphippie]

My old man alone drank enough of those Andekers to make it a common can. The aluminum quart is new.
The rare Miller soft cross is the 12oz.’er. My ‘89 BEER is drawn steel, not sure if any were ever filled. Ziphippie

[canman65]

Please enlighten me on the "Soft Cross" comment's.

[Ziphippie]

Please enlighten me on the "Soft Cross" comment's.

https://www.excaliburclassics.com/bio.html

[kamsquared]

That’s the first time I’ve seen the date of 1942 for the soft cross design....I think that site is incorrect.
Should be 1954.....which is when the white Millers came out.
Miller commemorative cans show 1954 also.
Brooks Stevens had some iconic designs: Oscar Meijer Weinermobile, Harley’s, Studebaker Hawk, Jeep Wagoneer.....and the Miller Soft Cross logo.
.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jinsequa]

I agree there should be an aluminum non-micro thread somewhere. Like aluminum up to 2000 or something.

Here is some pics of some hard to find cans....a lot of them are exports to other countries but once in a while available. If I saw any of them, I would grab them.

The first batch is from Tumwater, WA. These are by General Brewing Company which was shortly in business at the old Olympia Brewery after they closed shop. Of these cans the Schaefer Light, Country Club, 18K, Texas Pride, any Stroh's, any Schlitz, any Old Milwaukee, Regal Select, the white generic with the vertical red lettering (supposedly produced for a movie made in the Northwest...Prop?), the red generic with the vertical white lettering (Japanese export), the black generic with the white lettering (Japanese export), and the Good Cornmeal Beer (Taiwanese export) are all exceedingly hard, if not impossible to find. The red stripe and blue stripe Falstaff Centennial Draft are sought after and will run you up to $50 a piece. The priciest of the bunch is the Jax and Jax Lite. A lot of people looking for those two cans. Both are easily a 3 figure aluminum can on ebay. I was able to find all of these piecemeal at shows and on ebay but it took forever to get these. I know I am missing one or two of the Stroh's produced. Most were one off runs of labels held by Paul Kalmonovitz at General Brewiing after he shut down the plant associated with the label. (Jax brewed in Tumwater, Washington? The disgrace!)

The second batch is also from Tumwater, WA. These are by Pabst Brewing Company. They are all exports to Hong Kong. You see them once in a while and they are usually the same can that you see.

The third batch is from Olympia and Pabst of Tumwater, WA. In the top row all were one off rare production cans except the tall blue one and that was a can that was used to test out how the tall cans handled the production and distribution network (so all are somewhat scratched). Any Olympia product listing Detroit is rare (red Hamm's non-alcoholic, Olympia Ice and draft), as are any Olympia product from Milwaukee, and Lacrosse. I have been looking for 25-30 years for the 24 oz. Olympia Ice from Detroit. (not pictured) The 3 Hamm's exports and the Forrest export are hard to find but not impossible. The Lodi cans usually get some cash. The Spark is an export to Japan. The Spirit of Olympia was a one off that Pabst subsequently changed the name to Spirit of the Northwest. Lots of the Northwest version, not so many of the Olympia. The Olympia Dry with the Japanese writing around the top rim is one of a kind as far as I can tell.(lots of Oly Dry's with Japanese writing on ebay...just not around the top rim)

The fourth batch of 16 oz. cans are from either Olympia, General Brewing Company or various brands contract brewing at Tumwater, WA. ANY Olympia Gold 16 oz. is hard to find and some of the variations pictured are impossible to find. Some were just caloric or side panel changes. The contract brews (Camo, Brickhouse, Steel Reserve and Ice Man) are all super tough with the Steel Reserve being the only one I have seen. The General Brewing Company Old Milwaukee is never seen.

All the cans shown were mostly one off runs, exports or cans that no one saved or cared about. There are not many of them out there and good luck finding them! ...and that is just from the Tumwater, Washington brewery! I know I would pay good money myself for any Tumwater, WA aluminum can not shown here that General Brewing produced. (besides the Rainer and Brown Derby's produced by General that are not pictured)

Eric Palmer

[CrustyRusty]

I agree there should be an aluminum non-micro thread somewhere. Like aluminum up to 2000 or something.

Here is some pics of some hard to find cans....a lot of them are exports to other countries but once in a while available. If I saw any of them, I would grab them.

The first batch is from Tumwater, WA. These are by General Brewing Company which was shortly in business at the old Olympia Brewery after they closed shop. Of these cans the Schaefer Light, Country Club, 18K, Texas Pride, any Stroh's, any Schlitz, any Old Milwaukee, Regal Select, the white generic with the vertical red lettering (supposedly produced for a movie made in the Northwest...Prop?), the red generic with the vertical white lettering (Japanese export), the black generic with the white lettering (Japanese export), and the Good Cornmeal Beer (Taiwanese export) are all exceedingly hard, if not impossible to find. The red stripe and blue stripe Falstaff Centennial Draft are sought after and will run you up to $50 a piece. The priciest of the bunch is the Jax and Jax Lite. A lot of people looking for those two cans. Both are easily a 3 figure aluminum can on ebay. I was able to find all of these piecemeal at shows and on ebay but it took forever to get these. I know I am missing one or two of the Stroh's produced. Most were one off runs of labels held by Paul Kalmonovitz at General Brewiing after he shut down the plant associated with the label. (Jax brewed in Tumwater, Washington? The disgrace!) g2.jpegg1.jpegg.jpeg

The second batch is also from Tumwater, WA. These are by Pabst Brewing Company. They are all exports to Hong Kong. You see them once in a while and they are usually the same can that you see. IMG_6496.jpegIMG_6497.jpeg

The third batch is from Olympia and Pabst of Tumwater, WA. In the top row all were one off rare production cans except the tall blue one and that was a can that was used to test out how the tall cans handled the production and distribution network (so all are somewhat scratched). Any Olympia product listing Detroit is rare (red Hamm's non-alcoholic, Olympia Ice and draft), as are any Olympia product from Milwaukee, and Lacrosse. I have been looking for 25-30 years for the 24 oz. Olympia Ice from Detroit. (not pictured) The 3 Hamm's exports and the Forrest export are hard to find but not impossible. The Lodi cans usually get some cash. The Spark is an export to Japan. The Spirit of Olympia was a one off that Pabst subsequently changed the name to Spirit of the Northwest. Lots of the Northwest version, not so many of the Olympia. The Olympia Dry with the Japanese writing around the top rim is one of a kind as far as I can tell.(lots of Oly Dry's with Japanese writing on ebay...just not around the top rim) IMG_6495.jpeg

The fourth batch of 16 oz. cans are from either Olympia, General Brewing Company or various brands contract brewing at Tumwater, WA. ANY Olympia Gold 16 oz. is hard to find and some of the variations pictured are impossible to find. Some were just caloric or side panel changes. The contract brews (Camo, Brickhouse, Steel Reserve and Ice Man) are all super tough with the Steel Reserve being the only one I have seen. The General Brewing Company Old Milwaukee is never seen. IMG_6492.jpeg

All the cans shown were mostly one off runs, exports or cans that no one saved or cared about. There are not many of them out there and good luck finding them! ...and that is just from the Tumwater, Washington brewery! I know I would pay good money myself for any Tumwater, WA aluminum can not shown here that General Brewing produced. (besides the Rainer and Brown Derby's produced by General that are not pictured)

Eric Palmer

Excellent Info Eric, thanks for sharing.....

c39459f055b177e0af9a68350b63aae0.jpg (18.7 KiB) Viewed 5071 times

[willssoda]

I agree there should be an aluminum non-micro thread somewhere. Like aluminum up to 2000 or something.

Here is some pics of some hard to find cans....a lot of them are exports to other countries but once in a while available. If I saw any of them, I would grab them.

The first batch is from Tumwater, WA. These are by General Brewing Company which was shortly in business at the old Olympia Brewery after they closed shop. Of these cans the Schaefer Light, Country Club, 18K, Texas Pride, any Stroh's, any Schlitz, any Old Milwaukee, Regal Select, the white generic with the vertical red lettering (supposedly produced for a movie made in the Northwest...Prop?), the red generic with the vertical white lettering (Japanese export), the black generic with the white lettering (Japanese export), and the Good Cornmeal Beer (Taiwanese export) are all exceedingly hard, if not impossible to find. The red stripe and blue stripe Falstaff Centennial Draft are sought after and will run you up to $50 a piece. The priciest of the bunch is the Jax and Jax Lite. A lot of people looking for those two cans. Both are easily a 3 figure aluminum can on ebay. I was able to find all of these piecemeal at shows and on ebay but it took forever to get these. I know I am missing one or two of the Stroh's produced. Most were one off runs of labels held by Paul Kalmonovitz at General Brewiing after he shut down the plant associated with the label. (Jax brewed in Tumwater, Washington? The disgrace!) g2.jpegg1.jpegg.jpeg

The second batch is also from Tumwater, WA. These are by Pabst Brewing Company. They are all exports to Hong Kong. You see them once in a while and they are usually the same can that you see. IMG_6496.jpegIMG_6497.jpeg

The third batch is from Olympia and Pabst of Tumwater, WA. In the top row all were one off rare production cans except the tall blue one and that was a can that was used to test out how the tall cans handled the production and distribution network (so all are somewhat scratched). Any Olympia product listing Detroit is rare (red Hamm's non-alcoholic, Olympia Ice and draft), as are any Olympia product from Milwaukee, and Lacrosse. I have been looking for 25-30 years for the 24 oz. Olympia Ice from Detroit. (not pictured) The 3 Hamm's exports and the Forrest export are hard to find but not impossible. The Lodi cans usually get some cash. The Spark is an export to Japan. The Spirit of Olympia was a one off that Pabst subsequently changed the name to Spirit of the Northwest. Lots of the Northwest version, not so many of the Olympia. The Olympia Dry with the Japanese writing around the top rim is one of a kind as far as I can tell.(lots of Oly Dry's with Japanese writing on ebay...just not around the top rim) IMG_6495.jpeg

The fourth batch of 16 oz. cans are from either Olympia, General Brewing Company or various brands contract brewing at Tumwater, WA. ANY Olympia Gold 16 oz. is hard to find and some of the variations pictured are impossible to find. Some were just caloric or side panel changes. The contract brews (Camo, Brickhouse, Steel Reserve and Ice Man) are all super tough with the Steel Reserve being the only one I have seen. The General Brewing Company Old Milwaukee is never seen. IMG_6492.jpeg

All the cans shown were mostly one off runs, exports or cans that no one saved or cared about. There are not many of them out there and good luck finding them! ...and that is just from the Tumwater, Washington brewery! I know I would pay good money myself for any Tumwater, WA aluminum can not shown here that General Brewing produced. (besides the Rainer and Brown Derby's produced by General that are not pictured)

Eric Palmer

I posted this not long ago. Any interest?

[jinsequa]

Seems like I asked this before who brewed/what cities are on the strohs cans?
Thanx
Eric Palmer


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[willssoda]

Have to give me some time. Gotta figure out where I hid it.

[DaddyDewrop]

As a collector of all cans from all eras, I can tell you that there are some really tough aluminum cans out there. Too many to list here and besides, if I tell you what they are, then the guys who shrug them off as "slag" will all of a sudden want to charge an arm and a leg for them! :)

[willssoda]

Well I’m not finding the Strohs. The one pictured is from Detroit(Leon?). Anything else worth shaking a stick at?

[CrustyRusty]

Well I’m not finding the Strohs. The one pictured is from Detroit(Leon?). Anything else worth shaking a stick at?

I think the Lodi can might be worth taking a closer look at....

[golf_lover44]

Seems like I asked this before who brewed/what cities are on the strohs cans?
Thanx
Eric Palmer

On the version of that can that I have, all it says is "The Stroh Brewery Company, Detroit, MI".

[jinsequa]

Well I’m not finding the Strohs. The one pictured is from Detroit(Leon?). Anything else worth shaking a stick at?

Out of the bunch, I would keep the Fat Cat, The Bounty Hunter and the Lodi, but even those are not that hard to come by. If the Pabst Light listed only Perry, GA (which it probably doesn't), I would keep that as well and it would be the best of the bunch.
Eric Palmer

[jinsequa]

Here are some more Pacific Northwest cans that are tough aluminum. These are mostly from Portland, OR.
The Red Ribbons are exports produced by Blitz-Weinhard and just found another version of the Ginseng flavor. (not pictured) The Aloha was brewed by G. Heileman in Portland for Maui Brewing Company (no relation to the current Maui Brewing Company). This is a very rare aluminum can. Probably less than a 6 pack floating around out there. The Colt 45 is a one off run by Blitz-Weinhard. I have only seen two. There is an Eastside by Blitz-Weinhard produced at the same time as the Colt 45 that I am looking for.(pictured) The Imposter and the Western Family Premium Brew don't list Portland but have the G. Heileman code on them and most of the non-alcoholic brews were produced in Portland at that time. I am guessing they were made in Portland. The Red Premium Brew (pictured) definitely was brewed in Portland which is a good clue. (`looking for this one as well) The Lone Star LA comes in two versions (Bright and dull gold) and is never seen. (grouped in here because it list Portland among the many other cities on it.) The 3 Henry Weinhards are incredibly impossible to find. They were a one off run only sold on a Japanese Airline though they have no Japanese writing on them. The Pabst 16oz.(old label with blue stripe and no wheat stalks) is the only one I ever have seen and I would love to find one.(bank top) There is also an Old Style and a Lone Star brewed in Portland for export to Japan that are tough. J. Rupperts Knickerbocker, J. Rupperts Knickerbocker Light, and Golden Dragon Malt Liquor were also brewed and canned in Portland (during a strike out east) from brewery records that are existent but I have never seen one.
Most of these were cans brewed during the G. Heileman era in Portland. Most were one off runs that are not out there to buy if you wanted to.

Eric Palmer

[canhawk]

Eric,

What kind of value would you place on these tough alums, middle of the road average price?

[Beercanpete]

Eric,

What kind of value would you place on these tough alums, middle of the road average price?

I'm interested too how Eric might reply to this. Value is determined more by demand than by supply, and on a lot of these cans there is so little demand that the values can't be too high. But all it takes on eBay is two guys who really want something and if they're as tough as what Eric is saying, there's no telling what this kind of stuff can go for.

[Dixie Dave]

Well I’m not finding the Strohs. The one pictured is from Detroit(Leon?). Anything else worth shaking a stick at?

I would be very interested in that Falstaff 14 ounce. PM me.

[jinsequa]

As to value.....the rare ones....(less than a 6 pack known) I would put them in the $50 -$100 range. (Aloha for example). I bet a bidding war would break out on the Jax and Jax lite from Tumwater due to many collectors expressing interest in having one. Most hard to find ones are $10 to $25 range at most.
Eric Palmer


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[fiat128]

I came here today specifically to start a thread for "Rare 90s aluminum" but I think this may already be it so I'll just post my stuff here. This can, over on the FB page started a conversation about rare 90s al so I'll stick it on this. Also, the Aloha was pointed out by Pokey on another rare al thread.

[CrustyRusty]

I came here today specifically to start a thread for "Rare 90s aluminum" but I think this may already be it so I'll just post my stuff here. This can, over on the FB page started a conversation about rare 90s al so I'll stick it on this. Also, the Aloha was pointed out by Pokey on another rare al thread.

Country Club Lager - Pearl Tampa.jpg

Aloha Lager Blitz-Weinhard Brewery in Portland.JPG

I've recently been researching more about the short lived clear malt craze that started in the early 90's with Zima (Coors), I still want to add a Miller Clear can to go with my Zima cans, the Zima Gold being the shortest lived of the bunch best I can tell, I also found that Pabst tried to join the craze with "Pabst Izen Klar", so far all I've found shown are a tap handle and a bottle label, no clue if any cans were put out, anyway here's what Zima cans I have so far and a pic of the Pabst Izen Klar label and tap handle.

m26-izen-klar-beer-tap-handle-tapper_1_3be3fe7817cfe230014b4f2c4d081df0.jpg (31.34 KiB) Viewed 4403 times

mHqenLzlQV-OOtql1xnEE6Q.jpg (10.57 KiB) Viewed 4403 times

[kruegerbock]

There is a chance I'd have an extra Miller "Clear" can. I bought a six-pack when it came out. The question would be can I find it???

Zima was flavored to taste a bit like a 7up. And the only reason I know that is someone left one in my cooler at a softball and back then all beers got drank regardless of taste. I dont recall Miller Clear being flavored.

The larger question of price for rare aluminum is tough to answer. The most I paid for an aluminum can made after 1975 was $10 for an original paper label Leroy can from Oscar Blues. The most I sold an aluminum can for is $20 for a Malta Dukesa. I recall some eBay sales for some of the tougher Hammonton cans (Latina comes to mind) of up to $70, although I had extras of those and tended to sell them for $5-$10. 99% of the post-1975 tough aluminum I have I drank myself, traded for, or fished out of a free pile or dollar can pile at a show.

This doesn't count "test cans" like Hermann Josephs or the Pabst/Hamms/Olympia Lodi cans or even late model "contest winner" cans. And also Aluminum bottles.

[CMD]

I have lots of 90s and 00s cans all at BIN prices cactuscans

[willssoda]

Paid $330 for this aluminum Pepsi. I’ve seen others like Mountain Dew Hillbilly and Code
red go
For big bucks too.

[Leon]

I seen a ordinary non test can but regular production can Aluminum Coke from the 1960's get like $400 or $500 on ebay last year. SO, I threw mine on ebay & got like $12.00.LEON.

[willssoda]

Are you sure it was the same can? There are two different variations of the coke diamond. One is much tougher than the other.

[fiat128]

I have lots of 90s and 00s cans all at BIN prices cactuscans

That's a cool one.