Object Details
Description
This is a 1959 Coors aluminum can with a flip top opening. It is painted with a yellow background and black and red lettering and details. It is a 7 ounce can.
Coors was founded in 1873 by Adolph Coors and Jacob Schueler who immigrated to the United States from Prussia. The brewery was established in Golden City, Colorado Territory (today Golden, Colorado). In 1880, Coors bought out Schueler’s share and became the sole owner of the brewery.
In 1916, Colorado Prohibition laws prevented the production of anything stronger than malted milk so Coors became one of the leading producers of malted milk. In April 1933, Coors was able to return to producing beer. Of the state’s forty-four pre-Prohibition breweries, only four survived the dry times. And only Coors continued making beer through the rest of the twentieth century.
Throughout the late twentieth century, Coors' marketing and the mystique born of its rarity outside the seven states where it was sold made Coors beer practically synonymous with the Rocky Mountain West.
By the 2000s, Coors was near the top of its popularity, regularly outselling offerings from bigger volume brewers like Budweiser and Miller. Even with the rise of craft beer, Coors maintained its mystique and enjoyed a massive sales lead over all of the most popular of Colorado’s craft competitors.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Coors Brewing Company through Ms. Linda Hartman
date made
1959
ID Number
1998.0153.01
accession number
1998.0153
catalog number
1998.0153.01
Object Name
Can
Measurements
overall: 11 cm x 5.5 cm; 4 5/16 in x 2 3/16 in
See more items in
Work and Industry: Manufacturing
Data Source
National Museum of American History
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nmah_1299546