This Rare Beer Can Just Sold for Over $100,000—Here’s Why
A 1950s Chief Oshkosh crowntainer set a new auction record at Morean Auctions, highlighting the growing demand for rare cone top beer cans among breweriana collectors.
Attention, beer can collectors: There’s a new auction record in town. A white Chief Oshkosh crowntainer sold at Morean Auctions on March 9, 2025, for $111,150, breaking previous records for beer can prices.
The can is in near-perfect condition and dates to the 1950s. Chief Oshkosh beer was made by the Oshkosh Brewing Co. in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Crowntainer cans are a distinctive type of cone-top beer can made from about 1939 to the 1950s. The body and spout are made in one piece; unlike other varieties of cone-top cans, there is no protruding rim around the base of the cone top.
This is the only can of its kind known to Morean Auctions, making it rare indeed. The auction house has been a leader in breweriana collectibles since it launched in 2016. Before that, its retail site, Breweriana.com, provided collectors with a wealth of information and a platform to buy and sell beer collectibles.
The can’s rarity and condition, plus the quality of its graphics, all contributed to its value, but the buyer was also motivated by home state pride. A native of Wisconsin had seen a post by Morean Auctions on Facebook sharing the story of the beer can and its provenance, and was eager to bid on a rare can from a Wisconsin brewery.
Founder Dan Morean said in a press release, “It was both thrilling and validating to see the price surpass $100,000. These old beer cans were never meant to be collectibles. They were designed to be disposed of, which makes them incredibly rare. Collectors have had a deep passion for them since the 1970s, and it’s gratifying to see them gain the recognition they truly deserve.”
Morean Auctions has handled many other notable beer can sales, including the previous auction record, a flat top Brown Derby beer can that sold for $93,600 on December 22, 2024.
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