How to Collect Oil Cans

Collecting oil cans can be a fun and rewarding hobby. Many models of oil cans are available for reasonable prices. There are only a handful of rare and hard-to-find examples that fetch in the low thousands or in the high hundreds of dollars. There are many different things you can do to collect oil cans, but getting the proper information is key.

Things You'll Need

• Oil can books
• Oil cans

Instructions

1. Find copies of "Collecting Oil Cans" by W. Clark Miller and "More Oil Cans for the Collector" by Miller and Sabra Sonewald. These books include photographs of oil cans dating back to the 1880s, as well as more modern examples. You'll also find tips on collecting oil cans and the value of different cans.

2. Join the Petroleum Petroliana online group. This website offers books on collecting oil cans, classified ads from people selling gas memorabilia and other information for collectors, such as places to find memorabilia. There's also a large forum where you can ask questions and chat with other collectors.

3. Look for oil cans that are in good condition, because these are worth more. Serious collectors look for oil cans that still contain oil, cans that feature bright colors and those that are in near mint condition. You should also look for cans that are unique and older, because these are more rare.

4. Collect oil cans that appeal to you, rather than ones you think you should own. There are thousands of different oil cans available, but unless you have a lot of space, buy only those you like and have room to display. Some collectors buy only those from a certain era, such as World War II, while others specialize in a certain company, such as Mobile.

Tips & Warnings

• Always keep an eye out for oil cans at flea markets and yard sales. These items are often sold by people who specialize in memorabilia, or have a wide variety of items. You can find deals from sellers who aren't sure what the can is worth. You can also visit one of the conventions devoted to gas memorabilia such as the Mason-Dixon Gas Convention held in Frederick, Maryland every March. A few other options are the Petroliana Auction in Peotone, Illinois and the Hoosier Petro Peddlers Swap Meet in Evansville, Indiana. These events let you find new collectibles and meet other collectors.

• Be careful when buying oil cans with oil still inside, especially if you see any rust spots or damage, because the oil can leak out.

References

• Oil History
• Go Antiques

Resources

• Primarily Petroliana