Display Empty

This month I want to briefly look at a can you see occasionally, a "DISPLAY / EMPTY" can. These were presumably sent to retailers to use as a POS (Point of Sale) advertising piece. They are air-filled.

This is, of course, an Old Georgetown from DC's Heurich Brewery. The brand existed from 1950-1956. Below are two Gunther's from Baltimore. This design was used by Gunther from 1955-1960, and then briefly after Hamms tried to revive the brand in roughly 1962-1963.

 

I used to think the "DISPLAY - EMPTY" was meant to be an instruction. "Hey, this is a empty can dummy, use it as a display!" Then I realized it's probably there for tax and alcohol control purposes. The brewery would not have to pay alcohol taxes on an empty can, and it would not be subject to laws controlling the handling of alcoholic beverages. Still, as brewery advertising, it would be subject to state laws controlling such advertising.

A pre-war example from New York, a Ruppert Knickerbocker. It has the "DISPLAY / EMPTY" on both the top and bottom lids.

These cans are not a common as bank cans, another form of brewery advertising. But I haven't met many collectors who go out of their way to acquire Display cans. I got these two because I like to get variations from these two breweries.

How Many Are There?

Here is a list from the Rusty Bunch discussion board. I will update it as more are added.

BRAND	BREWERY	USBC	NOTES
Budweiser Split label gold
Drewrys Ale
Drewrys Leger
Feigenspan PON Beer (gold Can)
Feigenspan PON Light Beer
Genesee "All Malt" O/I
Gunther	Gunther	78-28	12 oz, contents in white
Gunther	Gunther	106-16	16 oz, contents in gold
Hamm's OI
Jacob Ruppert Ale
Manhattan Beer OI
Narragansett Select Stock		(101-24)
Old Georgetown	Christian Heurich	106-16	Brown border, red compass star
Pabst		111-40
Pabst Old Tankard Ale
Ruppert Knickerbocker	Ruppert	126-03	Pre-WWII

 

 

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