Collecting Clubs

The Brewery Collectable's Club of America is, despite its name, an international organization, with members in Canada, Japan, Europe, Australia and Latin America as well as the United States. Founded in St. Louis in 1971, the BCCA has dozens of affiliate chapters. It was originally named the "Beer Can Collectors of America". It sponsors numerous shows for beer can collectors throughout the year, and it publishes a very nice magazine, Beer Cans and Breweriana Collectibles, which comes out six times a year. The BCCA has also published the best book listing United States' cone tops and flat tops.  Published in 2000, you can buy it directly from the BCCA.  It's a good price guide for flat tops and cone tops, although there are some errors in the pricing.
 
 

The Rusty Bunch is a BCCA Chapter founded in 1985 for those members who enjoy hunting for old cans wherever they may have been tossed in the past.  Called "dumping", hunting for cans in the woods, in old buildings, tossed under porches, etc., is a lot of fun and it's added a lot to the hobby.  Rusty Bunch members in the past 15-plus years, have discovered numerous cans from the 1930s and 1940s which were previously unknown to exist.   The Rusty Bunch publishes a monthly newsletter containing stories from members about dumping, tips on finding cans, articles on little-known variations of cans by specialists, etc.  It's the best newsletter in the BCCA.   They sponsor numerous shows throughout the year.  The best is the Blue-Gray show cosponsored every February by the Rusty Bunch, The Richbrau Chapter (Richmond, Virginia) and The Capital City Chapter (Washington D.C.).

 

  The American Breweriana Association (ABA) is a non-profit, tax exempt historical and educational group, offering a  bimonthly magazine covering industry news, brewery history, beer advertising and collectibles, plus free label & coaster offerings with each issue, exchange services to trade your duplicate labels, coasters, openers, sports schedules, crowns & napkins. They also feature a lending library over 250 books on beer & collectibles, plus periodicals and auction catalogues. It also sponsors numerous meetings and trade sessions.   The magazine is especially nice, one of the better collector's magazines around.

 

National Association Breweriana Advertising.  The National Association Breweriana Advertising (NABA) was organized in 1972 to encourage the collection, preservation and study of American brewery advertising on a national level. While the founding members were mostly from Wisconsin and Illinois, and our Membership is still heaviest in the Midwestern states, NABA soon developed into a national organization. NABA is incorporated in Illinois as a non-profit association, and is directed by Officers and a Board elected by the Membership.

	The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors.  Founded in 1969, the FOHBC promotes the collecting of antique bottles.  They publish their magazine, "Bottles and Extras," six times a year.
	Potomac Bottle Collectors:  It's not just cans in those dumps!  Bottle collectors dig up all sorts of neat items.  Here is a nice site for DC area bottle collectors.
	The Merry Bocksters: This BCCA chapter specializes in collecting Bock beer breweriana.   A great site and a great chapter!

	The EmPOURium of Opportunities: A list of Beer Can (and Breweriana) shows in the U.S. and Canada.
	The Brewery History Society is a British club and they have an excellent journal.

Friend's Can Collecting Pages.  

	Steve's Beercanman: Buy, Sell, Trade, Consign Beer Cans.
	One Full Quart: Interested in quart cans? Check out this neat site from Matt, a quart specialist! He also buyers, sells and consigns quarts.
	Chosi's Home Page (Washington DC area bottles) Mike Cianciosi's site, containing an extensive set of pictures and a thoroughly researched history of Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia bottles and go-withs. Also has Puzzles, Civil War Diary, and more...  A MUST site for anyone interested in DC-area bottles, beer, soda, whiskey, etc. (link goes to the bottle section)
	Brewing Arizona: A great site for those interested in the history of brewing in Az.
	Mark Rodgers: Mark is a member of "One Can: One Country" a BCCA Chapter that collects cans from around the world.
	Greenmon's Page: Another Rusty Bunch member.  He has a nice sub-section on cans not pictured in the USBC.
	Bob Kay's Beer Labels.  Bob is THE expert on old beer labels. He also has a series of books on labels.
	Crowntainer Central: A site put together by a specialist in crowntainers!  WOW! great site!
	Keglined.com A great site which is documenting the history of the beer can. Very well done and informative.
	Liz Crain Ceramics in Santa cruz, California makes a number of faux tin cans, and she now has beer cans in her portfolio.

Please report any dead or problem links, just email me. thanks!

More Beer Can-Related Links

	Beer Radio: On Sirius and on the Web. Broadcasts Live 4-6 pm (ET) on Saturday, rebroadcast 10 am to Noon Sundays.
	Conetopcaps.com is an interesting site.  The owner is trying to match conetop cans to the correct bottle caps that they used.
	The Packer Chapter: A Chapter for Can Collectors in Green Bay.
	Beer History:  A very nice site, TONS of historical info about beer history including past breweries, and the site is still growing!
	Conetops.com: A nice site dedicated to cone top cans.
	Dan and Steve's Beercansplus: Dan and Steve have some nice grade one cans for sale. They also buy cans.
	Jim's Beer Can Page:  Another collector's page with lots of Aussie and New Zealand cans, among others.
	Cornhusker Chapter:  The BCCA's Nebraska Chapter.

	Beer Can History: A nice site with tales of classic cans and classic finds.
	Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac Information Center: One of the main hazards in dumping is poison ivy. This is a good site with info.

Please report any dead or problem links, just email me. thanks!