Rheingold Extra Dry Lager Beer Flat Top Can

Beverly Christensen Rheingold Can

This 12 oz flat top can was produced by Liebmann Breweries of New York, New York, for its flagship Rheingold Extra Dry Lager Beer. The can highlights model Beverly Christensen as part of the celebrated "Miss Rheingold" marketing campaign, one of the most prominent and enduring advertising initiatives in American brewing history.

The Miss Rheingold Promotion

Initiated by Liebmann Breweries in 1940, the Miss Rheingold contest became a cultural phenomenon across the New York metropolitan area and the East Coast. Each year, six finalists were selected by a panel of judges, after which the contest was turned over to the drinking public. Customers cast millions of paper ballots at taverns, grocery stores, package outlets, and restaurants throughout the region, making the campaign second only to the United States presidential election in terms of total ballots cast in the nation.

The 1957 Contest Series

To promote the election for Miss Rheingold of 1957—held in late summer 1956—Liebmann featured lithographed portrait illustrations of the six finalists directly on cans and marketing collateral. Beverly Christensen, originally from Omaha, Nebraska, appeared as one of the featured candidates in the nationwide promotion alongside fellow contestants. The brewery encouraged patrons to study the candidates on the cans and cast their votes before the polls closed.

Collectibility

The Miss Rheingold finalist cans remain standout pieces among vintage beer can collectors due to their portrait artwork and mid-century graphic design. Rather than relying solely on traditional corporate heraldry or standard branding, this release transformed the beer container itself into an interactive promotional ballot and portrait gallery.