What do the numbers mean on the bottom of blue mason jars?
Table of Contents
- What do the numbers mean on the bottom of blue mason jars?
- What Mason jars are the most valuable?
- Why are vintage Mason jars blue?
- Are Mason jars valuable?
- What Ball jars are worth money?
- How much are Mason jars worth?
- What is the difference between a Ball jar and a Mason jar?
- Are there any Mason jars with blue glass?
- What's the value of a ball Mason Jar?
- What are the rarest types of Mason jars?
- How much is an upside down Mason Jar worth?

What do the numbers mean on the bottom of blue mason jars?
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 Mason jars are the most valuable?
10 Rarest Mason Jars Ever Made
- 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 vintage Mason jars blue?
Feeling Blue Those blue mason jars were mass produced until 1937 using sand from around Lake Michigan. It was that sand that gave the glass its blue hue.
Are Mason jars valuable?
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.
What Ball jars are worth money?
An antique Ball brand perfect Mason jar sold on eBay for about $80, likely because its deep olive green color is relatively rare. 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.
How much are Mason jars worth?
While colors produced in recent years may look similar, be aware that they have quite different values than the vintage colors. The smaller and more common vintage jars usually sell for less than $20. However, the vintage green jars or those with special wire carriers can sell in excess of $300.
What is the difference between a Ball jar and a Mason jar?
The glass is made in the same batch, the only differences are the molds - whether they say "Ball" or "Kerr" is only cosmetic. A Mason jar, named after John Landis Mason who first invented and patented it in 1858, is a molded glass jar used in home canning to preserve food.
Are there any Mason jars with blue glass?
The jar in this photo, second from the right, is one of only four known to exist with blue glass and a thumbscrew top. Even more rare and valuable than uncommon colors are jars with quirks. This Ball Mason jar is the result of a molding error, where the logo and name were stamped on upside-down.
What's the value of a ball Mason Jar?
Most Ball mason jars which have an aquamarine bluish tint to them carry little to no collector's value at all, according to Glass Bottle Marks, because they are not actually rare. The Ball company created hundreds of millions of jars between 1913 and 1960.
What are the rarest types of Mason jars?
Some of the rarest jars are antique green glass jars of certain shades, which can fetch up to $300. Green glass jars rage from pale, apple greens to dark olive greens and beautiful blue-greens.
How much is an upside down Mason Jar worth?
One great example is the ultra-rare upside-down Ball Mason jar. This glassware piece was only issued from 1900 to 1910. Now, it’s worth about $1,000. Some folks who enjoy hearing about happy mistakes might be tickled by the fact that an old Mason jar once considered an “error” is among these valuable items today.