| Many years ago in Atlanta, Georgia I walked into the | | | | And here's another thing that surprised me, collecting |
| home of the beer memorabilia collector. This was the | | | | beer memorabilia isn't limited to the United States, |
| first time I realized there was a collecting niche I | | | | people attended this convention from Japan, |
| knew nothing about, and it's centered on collecting | | | | Germany, South America and New Zealand. This |
| everything and anything beer. On his shelves were | | | | wasn't the local beer joint, this was the Hyatt |
| neon beer signs, old beer cans, coasters, trade | | | | Regency Crown Center in Kansas City, collecting beer |
| magazines, bottle tops, posters and more. This man | | | | memorabilia is a worldwide phenomena. |
| was a true lover of beer. | | | | The Brewery Collectibles Club of America was |
| The last time I'd seen this much beer memorabilia, I | | | | formed in St. Louis in 1970, at the time there were |
| was a college student pledging a fraternity, and those | | | | only about six people who enjoyed each other's |
| frat boys didn't have collecting in mind. | | | | company and talking about their collections. Over time |
| Looking at eBay as I write this article, I see current | | | | the membership grew to over 10,000 people |
| auctions for Billy beer (Jimmy Carter's brother), beer | | | | spanning the globe. |
| posters, beer coasters, Moola hats from the Shriners, | | | | People come to these beer memorabilia conventions, |
| plastic beer cups (this is one I do not understand), | | | | to fill missing gaps in their collections, find a specific |
| Budweiser mugs, Heineken keg tapping system, and | | | | (hard to find) beer can, or collect a can from each |
| much more. | | | | country in the world. Others specialized in beer |
| It's hard to believe there's an entire industry built | | | | memorabilia from breweries in specific cities or eras in |
| around beer collectibles, or beer memorabilia, but it's a | | | | history. |
| fact and is substantiated by the Associated Press, | | | | Any time you have a group of people collecting, you |
| who ran a story on this very subject. | | | | also have the same group selling their wares. eBay |
| As I recall, the story was about an older man who | | | | reported one particular beer can selling for $23,000. |
| lived in the Philadelphia area, and was one of more | | | | While few have that amount of disposable income, |
| than 800 people attending the 36th annual convention | | | | that particular piece of beer memorabilia was made in |
| of the Brewery Collectibles Club of America. The man | | | | the 1940s by Anheuser-Busch and featured a |
| was 63 years old and had been collecting beer cans | | | | cone-shaped top. It's doubtful the beer tasted any |
| since he was a student in college. | | | | different, but that's certainly an unusual beer can and |
| When he graduated, he only had about 250 cans, but | | | | not one you'll find on the side of the road. |
| he continued collecting through the years, till his | | | | There were people at this convention whose love of |
| collection grew to over 30,000 beer cans. Hard to | | | | beer memorabilia defied description, some with |
| believe? Simply check the Guinness Book of World | | | | collections dated to the early days of the beer |
| Records and you'll find John Ahrens, listed there. | | | | industry. One man focused on repairing old, dented |
| What I didn't know until I read the article was a wide | | | | and rusty cans, there was a line forming at his table |
| variety of people are beer memorabilia collectors. | | | | when I left. Beer memorabilia also includes the book |
| According to the AP in attendance were | | | | "Beer Can Collecting, which is reported to us have |
| professionals that included doctors, lawyers and | | | | sold over 80,000 copies. |
| pharmacists. You wouldn't have known from looking | | | | If you're interested in beer memorabilia, you can |
| at them, they wore T-shirts touting their local | | | | begin your collection by simply walking down an old |
| breweries or favorite brand. They were simply a | | | | country road and seeing what you might find. If it |
| group of guys having fun and enjoying their hobbies | | | | happens to be a cone-shaped Anheuser-Busch can, |
| and collections. | | | | please get in touch. |
