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#587978 Mon Dec 22 2014 06:20 PM
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Love buying signs but they seem to bring a good bit of money, because I like to spend more on quality signs.. i needed to get into something in between so I've started buying cans lately .I'm new to collecting so I'd like to know things I should look for secondly what are some of the "holy grails" of the hobby.. So far I have a kendall (old logo) pennzoil US airlines, a quaker city, and an ace.

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Jwsloop19 #587982 Mon Dec 22 2014 06:28 PM
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Cans are cool..i had a nice little collection but sold/traded almost all. Im not sure which ones are holy grail quality, probably ones i havent seen yet. But buy any you like, especially if they are reasonable.

nam5072 #587987 Mon Dec 22 2014 06:45 PM
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Some collect cans from companies that were head quartered or did business in their state, some collect their favorite company, some collect only graphic cans.
I used to collect anti-freeze cans. They often have great graphics and at least when I was collecting them there wasn't much competition from other buyers. I decided I'd rather look at globes than cans so I sold them and put the money towards a few globes. The better and more desirable stuff you collect now, the better you'll make out if your collecting preferences evolve.
I've seen collections with thousands of (mostly average) cans and collections with only 25 or so extremely desirable cans. Collect whatever you like!


Wanted: Gas pump globes:Sinclair & affiliates, IL companies. Ripple bodies. Anything Sinclair, Stoll, Pierce, 4 Bros.


http://www.lastgas15.com/
Lastgas15 #587989 Mon Dec 22 2014 07:03 PM
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Collecting cans is the best IMO. There are thousands and thousands of different ones. I can name a couple "holy grail" quarts... Blue Ribbon(loads of graphics), Powerlube, Polly, Sooner Queen, and Air Speed. Look in the Oldgas pictures. Lots of awesome quarts!! Some people like just Handy oilers, some only 5 gallons. Like Lastgas15 said, collect whatever you like!


Looking for any cans! PM me what ya got!
Lastgas15 #587990 Mon Dec 22 2014 07:04 PM
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I collect cans of all sorts if it catches my eye I'll go for it,
Yet I mostly look for anything local as well as anything with a western theme but collect what ever catches your eye as it'll be in your collection and look for quality as it'll pay off when you decide to sell.

Bob


Always looking for Frontier and Beeline items.
Lastgas15 #587994 Mon Dec 22 2014 07:09 PM
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Im sure that can collectors who are more versed in quarts, handy oilers, etc. will chime in in their respective areas, but I will give a few tips if you should decide to collect 2 gallon cans. 2 gallons are a nice choice for collectors if you have the room, as they are often cheaper than quart cans with the same image, and the graphics are larger. The first 2 gallon cans cam rout in the late 20s/early 30s, around the same time as the quart, and lasted until the late 70s/early 80s, about the death of the last metal quarts.
One can determine the age of a 2 gallon based on not only the graphics/design used(as with any other oil can) but by characteristics unique to the American 2 gallon.
Here are some characteristics to look for:
-Handle style/configuration. The earliest 2 gallons had handles soldered angular to the spout. The handle will cross the can slanted. Later handles were vertical or horizontal.
Early handles were often of vary thin metal, and were wide. Others early versions were heavy metal, but had sharp edges. You would simply have to compare styles to notice.
Spout design: The earliest 2 gallon caps had built in spouts, for easy pouring. Later, to cut costs, the screw on cap was developed, of which I have noted many variations.

2 Gallon can values are all over the place, mostly based on graphics/rarity, as with any other oil cans. You can buy a $5 Gulf Saphire, or a $1500 Lor Penn. It is the highest price d2 gallon of all time, picturing a 20s race car and stadium. Other holy grails of the 2 gallon hobby include Kenmore Aerocraft, picturing a Pierce Arrow race car/airplane, Progress Motor Oil, picturing a stylized man and 30s planes, Many miles picturing a 30s race car, and so many others.
2 gallons also came in weird size/shapes in the early years, including circular, short rectangles, talkers rectangles, likely several others.
Just simply buy condition, graphics, and try to pick up rarity along the way.

Last edited by 2 Gallon Luke; Mon Dec 22 2014 07:11 PM.

Good oil cans don't wait for people, people wait for them.
2 Gallon Luke #587996 Mon Dec 22 2014 07:29 PM
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Thanks everyone! I greatly appreciate every response! 2 gallon luke thank you for the information I do see myself getting a few 2 gallons in the future!

2 Gallon Luke #588001 Mon Dec 22 2014 07:47 PM
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I collect only 1 qt cans and I have a few "rare" cans that I've gotten. These are some of my favorite cans so far.

It's all about what you want and how much you want to spend. I've spent around $20 on each can sometimes less and more or I traded. And I have around 275 cans. That's $6,000-$7,000 in 3 years I've spent on cans since I started to collect. It ain't cheep to collect anything

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Oilzum, 1qt Oil Cans, Gas and Oil smalls, Oldsmobile collectables.
Oilcanman87 #588006 Mon Dec 22 2014 07:53 PM
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Love that cities service at the bottom! And got that right with not being cheap! I'm only 19 and have probably 2000 bucks! in signs so far if not a little more.. I work and save and work and save it makes me value my collection personally way more!

Jwsloop19 #588205 Tue Dec 23 2014 08:44 PM
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Lots of good advice being offered. Wish, I could have the self control to have 25 rare cans, 25 rare signs, 25 rare pumps and 5 rare cars and then just sit back and enjoy what I have. Would have been nice; if I had decided to do that when I started collecting gas & oil.

Should have learned from my car experience. I started playing around with muscle cars back in the mid 80's when I was in my early teens. Bought my first convertible Challenger when I was 15. I was 16 when my father bought me a 440 6 pack Charger which I own to this day. In the early 2000's I had over 110 cars at my place. Down to about 60 now. If I were able to turn back time... wish, I had bought 5 hemi convertible cars and kept my life simple.

I'm just a hoarder...my advice is simple don't become a hoarder!


Dave GILL,
Dave's Garage & Memorabilia, Inc.
Dave's Garage #588425 Thu Dec 25 2014 11:03 AM
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Quality not quantity,is something we learn in time.

intagas #588461 Thu Dec 25 2014 04:35 PM
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Thin line between hoarding and collecting.

intagas #588462 Thu Dec 25 2014 04:37 PM
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Stack cans on the line and you won't see it!


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