# I normally leave jars behind, Am I making a mistake?



## splante (Aug 22, 2014)

I come across a lot of jars and food bottles in my river hunts for old embossed soda bottles. pictured are a  couple I decided to keep from Wednesdays search. I would normally not keep any jars, should I be.? I believe one Pictured to be an olive bottle, the ez seal seems pretty old, the jar  is crude (deformed). then a soda and milk i would always keep. Found a spot with a lot of jars that I left behind. These will clean up nice .


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## reach44 (Aug 22, 2014)

I only take local milks back with me.  My jar knowledge isn't very good but if it looks unusual or has a spelling error I take them home.  I know a lot of guys who leave jars and milks behind, so you aren't alone.


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## bottlerocket (Aug 22, 2014)

I do leave most jars and foods at the site. Although if one catches my eye or is unusual to me, I will definitely bring it home. For instance I found a Heinz embossed with  H J HEINZ CO 158.This bottle code was listed as:*#158* - 1918-1941. Held Princess Olive oil.  Cork sealed.I figured since I have documented history on what it is, AND it looks good, I am going to keep it. I have not found one like it yet.Also If I find old Atlas or Ball canning jars, these can always be re-purposed into other crafty items. (Not my department though but the Mrs.)A few weeks after finding this Heinz bottle, in the same area I found a glass Stopper and it fits pretty good so maybe I re-married two items that were once together.


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## bottlerocket (Aug 22, 2014)

Also regarding Milks, I hate to leave milks behind. They are Embossed, heavy and actually good looking but lately I have because they are all from the same dairy. How many milks from the same dairy can be kept? Especially the 1 quart size. They are so large, where do you keep them. I always look for a dairy I do not have but if I have them, I will leave them.


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## splante (Aug 22, 2014)

pretty much what ive been doing, milks if embossed will come back with me, why i keep them i dont know i do not have a lot of interest in them, but have about 20 or so tucked away in the shed. other foof bottle only if strange shape like the one pictured


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## dygger60 (Aug 23, 2014)

It may be a pain, but I would keep the jars also until finding out what they are.   Now I am only talking aboutcanning jars.     I have seen jars that are over 150 years old that are worth maybe a couple dollars, but then again, I have seen jars that are only 100 years old that are worth hundreds or even thousands.     The lids  you find may be worth a pretty penny.  Most of the older jars had lids made by someone else's patentand may be worth many times more than the jar.    Now not every jar is a diamond, but you never know what you are gonna pull up next. A good reference book is key to educating yourself.     When I dug, I use to keep everything until I got a good idea of what it was and if any value it may have.     I did find one, years back, that turned out to be only the forth example known to exist.  When sold, it gave mea nice windfall.....this was a bottle. And I am darn glad I just did not toss it aside...LOL     The other stuff I didn't want, I kept a barrel in my garage and tossed them in there until it was time to go to thetown dump, then they were put into the glass recycling.   The Red Book is a good reference, and has pictures to help with identification.    After a bit,  you will be able at once tell if it is something you should keep. Below is a link, $40 is a good investment.    redbookjars.com      Of course, you could get pictures and post them here, there are some pretty good collectors here that have their area of interest....      David


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## splante (Aug 24, 2014)

Great Info David and if nothing else I Am cleaning the areas out and can recycle like I do with unwanted sodas.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 24, 2014)

If it's embossed and looks collectible (color, thick glass, looks old...) then take it. You can, if nothing else, sell them. Bottles, jars, jugs... Truthfully, though, most jars are so common you might as well leave them unless, as aforementioned, they look desirable. Someone's bound to want them.


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## InHealing (Aug 25, 2014)

splante said:
			
		

> I come across a lot of jars and food bottles in my river hunts for old embossed soda bottles. pictured are a  couple I decided to keep from Wednesdays search. I would normally not keep any jars, should I be.? I believe one Pictured to be an olive bottle, the ez seal seems pretty old, the jar  is crude (deformed). then a soda and milk i would always keep. Found a spot with a lot of jars that I left behind. These will clean up nice .


Id say keep all jars until you know the value of each, unless you are just over run with them and even still store them at a friends place. I have seen some jars go for a couple of thousand dollars, depending on how bad someone wants it and what it is


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## JohnDeereMoxie (Aug 26, 2014)

Where's that milk from, is it amber or just river muck? I take everything but jars that are plain and there's tons of them. After a while I'll throw them at rocks lol.  It gets annoying being in a rare dairy dump and all the whole stuff is crap and not what you're looking for. Lids I always keep, they are small easy to store and some can be pretty cool. Can never have a enough lids hahahah.


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## dygger60 (Aug 29, 2014)

Finding good lids are great.  Esp when ya get one that is from a good uncommon jar.     David


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