Wow!! That's a lot of money for a 1950's Hamms can. I was hoping to pick it up for maybe $25. It must be hard, its the only one I don't have from San Fracisco but that is nuts.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=007&item=170011356394&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

I was going to post about that can when it was $250 about 2 hours ago. I'm curious as well, why so much. It is a clean can, and I don't see them on ebay that often. Maybe one of the gurus know the skinny on this can.

KEith

wow

in the last 20 seconds it got 4 bids taking it from $350 to over $750

I'd rather dump one

sometimes you have wonder if the bidding was artificially boosted by another bidder who is close to the seller.

I have no idea how tough this can is. I do know that 3 of the final 4-5 bidders are 16 oz specialists from the eastern half of the US. Knowing 2 of the 3 bidders, if this can wasn't in their collections, it's TOUGH.


FRJ

I don't think that was the case. As I mentioned before this must be a much tougher can than I realized. All of the other Hamms starburst half quarts from California are pretty easy but this one version I've never been able to find. It does have some cross appeal with Hamm's collectors and half quart specialists but still it's just a variation on a very common can. One of these days I'll fish a decent one out of dollar box. After seeing what this one went for it would not be surprising to see a couple more pop on ebay with hopes of big dollars. If I had one I'd sell it in a heartbeat for half what that one went for.

Scott

Notice this one has 2 lines of writing on the bottom, Ive never even knew that one was around before this auction(I see now it is listed in the USBC 230-13.) Probally one of the key cans to finish a Hamms collection. Maybe a can you could probably find in a $1 box at a show in CA if you searched for it. Good for the seller for getting so much and I bet the high bidder is happy just as well.

out

dan

Funny, Book only sez $25.00 LEON.

not to hijack this thread, but is there a planned supplement to the USBC. I know alot of cans have surfaced that aren't listed and the can values need a bit of tweaking.

just curious.

Keith

When I lived in California, I dug that variation only ONCE. I remember even then telling other California collectors about it, and they didn't think it existed. Yah, I'd say it's tough. I think that can was a real sleeper. If you note, the label is similar to the "Preferred" label, but doesn't say "Preferred" That's a very tough label. The later design of sunburst is nothing in comparison. I'm not surprised at $750.

Vince

All,
I haven't had a chance to see the listing after the auction closed, but I was in there at the end as well. The whole key to this can is not only the writing at the bottom, but the big "16 OUNCE" around the top band. When the USBC was in the photography stage, the example in the book was the best they could find to photograph. That means Jim Midkiff didn't even have the can clean. West coast 15 & 16 oz cans are by far the biggest challenge for pint size collectors. Not sure how the CA and Hamms collectors faired in the auction, but I know the buyer well.
See you in KC!
Mark

Might be a clean Hamms but I know the USBC book did very little to attempt to get the best can possible. If they would have compared cans with other cans to upgrade pictures it would have taken them another 7 years to produce the book. There is lots of Rust Buckets pictured in the book when every body knew who had better examples & I have proof of this. LEON.

All you need is two bidders.......

You guys do realize that the can was the 16oz version of the sunburst Hamm's Preferred right? The color, the graphics etc. match the 12oz Preferred except the 16oz can doen't have the "preferred" on it like the 12oz version. That is indeed a tough can.

Vince

Vince, Sounds like the book people say, Out of all these collections we photographed this is the only nice one we've seen, must be pretty tough, Lets give this rare can a $25.00 price LEON.

I think it's more like this Leon.

The book people had no idea about the can. Someone came to them with one to photograph. And they took the picture. Then when they were compiling the book, they probably decided that since it's a Hamm's it can't be that valuable. So, they decided $25 seemed like a good price. They probably had little info to go on when making that dicision.

But, I'd dug in California for like 5 years. And I only turned up one. And it was sort of faded. At the time I thought it real strange that it looked more like the older Hamm's sunburt in graphics rather than the new one. The can has an enameled dark blue band around the bottom, NOT the metallic blue like the later sunbursts.

Vince

Actually, what happened here with this can is just another example of the philosophy of the book (right or wrong). The decision was made that minor variations would be priced very close to the same price as the primary can, regardless of rarity. Thus IRTP rare examples are priced almost the same as common non-IRTP examples. High and lo profile cones that are totally different in terms of value and rarity are priced almost exactly the same. Cans that came from different breweries were priced all about the same regardless of relative rarity. That was a basic decision that was made across the board.

I think that Descision Stinks. LEON.

A Descision (mistake)like that could be in your favor depending on if your buying or selling. For example. If the new tab top book was to do this, This would mean that easy worthless White Altes pulltab should be priced at $1.00 maximum in my opinion. BUT, You take that super rare White Altes Zip top & just call it a Variation of a easier can & only up the price a little like 100% or double to $2.00 & I'll be very happy to buy one of these mint bottom opened for $2.00. Heck they can up the price 1000% at $10.00 & i'll be happy or from $1.00 to $100.00 & i'll be happy but NO, That wont happen. How do you explain the book people knowing only one can known to exist & not a minor variation & only getting a $250.00 price?LEON.

Well East-Coasters, now that we have your attention...

Its been my experience that the Baltimore "all blue" Hamm's half quart flats (USBC 230 18 & 19), are just as tough as this one was/is. You see the gold & blue Baltimore ones, but the only all-blue Baltimore half-quart I've managed to lay my hands on was a zip.

Easy money if you've got one you want to part with.

Mike

Hi Guys!

Well, another unlisted Hamm's half quart has turned up! Check out completed auction # 130015525440 (maybe someone can help me with the link).

It's a 15 oz. from San Francisco, that has "contents 15 fluid ounces" written in small blue letters across the bottom of the gold part of the label.

It's like the 11oz 79-1 (which is very tough & from LA).

These showed up at the Des Moines show of all places! Makes me wonder if there could be an 11oz from San Fran. like 79-1, and a 15oz like this one from LA!

The new discoveries continue.....

Mike

LINK to the completed auction.