- Van Vliet Improved Jar $23,500.
- Black Amber Magic Star Fruit Jar $3,000.
- 1933 Ball Upside Down Error Jar $1,000.
- The 1870 Chief Mason Jar $800. (Photo: gregspurgeon.com)
- 1858 Willoughby Stopple Jar $500. (Photo: hoosierjar.com)
How can you tell how old a Mason jar is?
To date an old Ball mason jar, look at the logo on the jar. If the logo is an insignia made up of the letters BBGMC, the jar was made between 1885 and 1886. If the logo is written using block letters, the jar was likely made between 1892 and 1896.
What Mason jars are rare?
- Lightning Jar.
- EZ Seal by Hazel-Atlas.
- Mason's Improved Jar.
- Mason's Zinc Lid Jar.
- Amber Beaver Jar.
- The Chief Mason Jar.
- Willoughby Stopple Jar.
- Black Amber Magic Star Fruit Jar.
Why are 13 mason jars rare?
The higher numbers were used when a mold was replaced. Dealers sell jars with 13 on the base at a higher price, but fruit jar collectors and the published price guides do not consider the number on the base to make any difference in value.
How do I know if my mason jars are valuable?
If you have a jar with one of the older logos, it will likely be worth more than one with a newer logo. Next is the color. Clear and pale blue are the most common colors, but jars of all colors were produced. Yellow and amber jars were common.
Which Mason jars are antique?
- Aqua Mason's Patent Nov. 30th 1858.
- Aqua Mason's Patent. Quart, Shoulder Seal, c.1875-1900.
- Aqua Atlas Strong Shoulder Mason. Quart, Bead or Ledge Seal, c.
- Aqua Ball. Quart, Shoulder Seal, c.1900-1910.
- Aqua Ball Mason.
- Aqua Ball Perfect Mason.
- Lightning Registered U.S. Patent Filed.
- Aqua Ball Ideal.
What do the numbers on the bottom of Mason jars mean?
Many Ball mason jars have a number printed on the bottom of the jar, but this is a mold number that does not indicate the year of production. Rather, the mold number tells you where the jar was positioned on the glass-making machine that was used to produce it.
When did Mason jars have glass lids?
In 1882, Henry Putnam, of Bennington, Vt., invented a glass canning jar that used a glass lid and a metal clamp closure. The jars were called lightning jars because they could be opened in a flash. The glass lids were popular because they did not present as many contamination risks as the common zinc lids.