Are blue Mason jars rare?

Ball jars were made in various colors, but the blue and clear colors are the most common.

How can you tell how old a blue mason jar is?

Some helpful notes to keep in mind:

  1. Not every jar has their manufacture date on the glass, but most have the patent date.
  2. There will be a large number on the bottom of your jar.
  3. These charts tell you the approximate decade in which your Ball jar was made.

How much is an old blue mason jar worth?

Nowadays, you can even buy a big flat of Mason jars for pretty cheap at your local craft or household goods store — but the older ones can fetch much higher prices. Typically, the smaller or more common antique jars can go for about $20 apiece, but the more rare versions can sell for as much as $300.

How do I know if my Ball jars are vintage?

If you have a Ball jar, you can date most of them just by looking at the logo. Every few years, the Ball Manufacturing Co changed the logo and if you compare yours to a reliable chart, you know how old it is.

When did ball stop making blue jars?

1937
Blue glass Ball jars were produced in the late 1890s and early 1900s, but the company stopped producing these in 1937. There were also some brown amber jars produced in the 1950s, but most of the jars produced after the 1940s were made of clear glass.

What do the numbers on the bottom of blue 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.

What does the number on the bottom of blue Mason jars mean?

Are Old Ball jars worth money?

According to Country Living, an upside-down Ball canning jar designed to rest on its lid is relatively rare and made between 1900 and 1910. It’s valued at about $1,000. Country Living also notes that a unique 1858 design, called the Willoughby Stopple, is especially valuable because it proved to be defective.

Which is older Mason or Ball jars?

Quick Fact: Who Invented the Mason Jar? John Landis Mason invented the Mason Jar on November 30, 1858. In 1884, Ball Corporation began manufacturing glass home-canning jars, the product that established Ball as a household name and licensed Mason’s design.

How do you date a crown Mason jar?

Age

  1. Pontil marks or indented rings in the bottom of the jar mean it was hand finished by a glass blower.
  2. Seams also help determine the age of your jar: Seams that go all the way up the jar indicate it was machine made, probably between 1895 and 1915.
  3. Color can also help date your jar.

What are old canning jars worth?

Value depends on a lot of factors, but many canning jars sell for under $15. However, these are a few notable examples of what your canning jar could be worth: An antique Ball brand perfect Mason jar sold on eBay for about $80, likely because its deep olive green color is relatively rare.