Schmidt's Bicentennial Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can

Schmidt's Bicentennial Beer Can

Produced by C. Schmidt & Sons of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this commemorative can was issued during the celebrations surrounding the United States Bicentennial. Capitalizing on Philadelphia's identity as the birthplace of American independence, the brewery marketed the design under the banner of "The Beer for the Bicentennial".

The packaging highlighted historic tableaus depicting pivotal moments from the American Revolutionary era, including the drafting and signing of the Declaration of Independence, the creation of the nation's flag, the winter encampment at Valley Forge, and the British surrender at Yorktown. Schmidt's released the series amidst a national wave of interest in commemorative breweriana, competing directly with rival regional breweries that were issuing historical sets of their own.

Schmidt's also leveraged the patriotic theme to engage the collecting community, producing commemorative cans welcoming attendees to the Beer Can Collectors of America (BCCA) CANvention when the event was hosted in Philadelphia.

Collectors track several known variations across the production runs. Notable differences include subtle typography adjustments in the script logo—most famously seen where a small five-pointed star replaces the standard dot over the letter "i"—as well as different can manufacturer stamps, mandatory text arrangements, and rim markings.