|
Here is one of my most wanted cans!! Could use one in any Condition!!
|
|
Pabst Export find by Brent Gesland
Finding 5 cases in on-grade condition was sure an amazing find for me!! I still have all 4 of the best varaitions from this find still on my shelf!
|
 |
|
|
|
|
I sold my first beer can collection when I was in high school(1976). It consisted of 1 cone top, 1 flat top and about 300 tab tops. I sold this collection for $35.00 and not a bad price back then except it included a Ronz cone(USBC# 182/9)in grade 2+/2 condition.
In 1979 I decided to start collecting again and with the help of some friends I was on my way to a decent collection of 1970 tab tops,but there was something missing and that was cones and flats!! But this would soon change....
I was living in Norfolk,Ne.(pop.20,000) at this time and working in Madison,Ne.(pop.1,200) and is a small farming town just 15 miles to the south. I car pooled with 3 other workers and during these trips I would tell these young men about my beer can collection,hoping one of these guys would help find that great beer can find!!!!!! Well one of these guys named John would help me very soon. It all started out this way.
John went on vacation to Colorado and I gave him $5.00 for a 6 pack of beer, I asked him if he would look for something unusal. Well this Monday morning was my turn to drive and when I picked up John I asked if he found anything for me and his response was that he forgot!!! Soon later he informed me that he had a friend who just bought a house and there were a lot of old beer cans in the attic of his garage in Madison,Ne.
After work we stopped by this house and after looking at this home, I thought this was a waste of time as this home was 10-15yrs old back in 1979. We went into his garage and there was an overhead deck used as storage. I climbed up a 15' ladder w/John's friend and there were 5 cases of these Pabst Export cans in there original card board boxes and a ton of old whiskey bottles!!
Since John's friend was a non-collector,he of course wanted cash. I offered him $35.00 which was exactly what I sold my first collection for----HOW IRONIC!!!
What stumps me to this day is the different varations in this find as they were brewed from as early as 1935 and as late as 1938....The can w/ the long opener was the fourth can ever produced by Pabst. Who ever drank this beer must have had intentions of collecting beer cans as most were bottom opened and stored properly!! Or maybe they were just a reminder of his youth days!!!
These Export cans will always be special to me as they have helped me trade with collectors from all over the country. Though not rare,these cans are still the #2 can ever made!! I am now wondering if I got my $5.00 back from John??......OH WELL!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
