Domestic beer cans have a long and varied history. Vintage beer cans produced within the history of US brewing number in the thousands, based on brand and type alone (let alone other circumstances). Vintage beer cans also include deliberate novelties, as well as unique productions due restrictions in the brewing, manufacture or packaging industries (including factors like war and of course Prohibition). 

Of course, most vintage beer cans are vintage simply because of their age. There are a number of distinct periods in American brewing, many brands have come and gone (each with its own distinct history) and canning technology has undergone several significant changes.

Broadly speaking there are three main types of beer cans produced in America’s brewing history. They are as follows:

Cone top cans produced popularly from the end of Prohibition (1935) through the 1950’s. These are very collectable vintage beer cans and are a lot of fun just to possess. Read more about conetops or view our selection of conetop cans.

Flat top beer cans were produced at varying points in brewing history but the real vintage flat tops precede Prohibition in history. They are not very different from canned fruit and vegetables you find in today’s grocery stores but of course these are labeled with classic labels, long-gone brands and classic logos of classic brands. And they’re old beer cans! Read more about flat top beer cans or view our selection of flat top beer cans including many domestic beer brands.

Tab top beer cans, which include pull tab beer cans and the contemporary stay-on tab (also called a push tab) are just as varied and interesting as anything else in breweriana history. Today, pull tab beer cans are becoming increasingly collectable. You can read more about pull tab beer cans or find a wide selection of collectable pull tab beer cans in our current selection.

Aside from those there are a number of other vintage and rare novelties produced within the history of domestic brewing:

Cabottles are produced from time to time but these have very little collectable value (at least to date) and you see them on eBay, quite often for $2.00 or less. These were basically cans that are shaped like bottles.

One gallon keg cans have been occasionally produced by a variety of manufacturers.

Rolled steel never produced into beer cans is on the market by some collectors and traders.

Press button cans. Remember these? These featured two holes, where you pressed in the tabs, like buttons, one to drink out of and the other was the air vent. There are probably too many variations and failures like this to mention.

While these are not production-unique, you can find bottom opened beer cans that preserve the important aspects of beer canning and packaging that you want to display in your collection.