Are My Cans Valuable?

Many cans are worth in excess of $1,000, however most cans have a value of less than $1.00. So how do you determine if your can is one of the more valuable cans? Below are some guidelines to help you seperate the better cans from the worthless cans. Most pull tabs from the 1970's or later have little to no value. This is due to the beer can hobby becoming popular in the early 1970's. Most cans during and after this period have been saved in large enough quantities to exceed the demand. Yes, that Billy beer can is worthless.
Click on the can photo for more details.

Cone tops were produced from 1935 until 1960 and in mint condition have a value of $40 or more. There are a couple of phony cone tops that do not have value in excess of $2.00. Two that come to mind are Milwaukee Brand and General Pulaski.

Crowntainers were produced from the mid-forties until the mid-1950's and in mint condition have a value of $50 or more.
Flat tops were produced from 1935 until the late 1960's and in mint condition have a value anywhere from $5 to $1,000+. The flat top lacked a pull tab and required a can opener to open the can.
Instructionals are cans that have instructions showing how to open them and are very desireable. These were produced from 1935 until the early 1950's. In mint condition they have a value anywhere from $40 to $1,000+.

Zip tabs were the earliest type of pull tabs and were produced from 1962 until the mid-1960's. Please do not mistake this as the more common pull tab. A zip tab will have a slogan imprinted on the top that says something like "Lift tab and pull". These cans range in value from $10 to several hundred dollars.

A pull tab has a tab or ring that you pull to open the can. Pull tabs produced after 1970 likely have little value. If it is on the list of better pull tabs the can will have a value of $5.00 or more.

* Click here to learn how condition impacts a can's value

* Not interested in Billy Beer, JR Beer, Mash Beer, World's Fair, Schmidt wildlife scenes, Olde   Froshingslosh, aluminum cans, or most other cans from the 1970's to the present.