Stonepony, the lack of appreciation in value comes from the fact that a) many of the cans from the 70s and '80s were aluminum and don't degrade with age like steel cans do; and b) the cans from the era you collected are the 1988 Donruss of the can hobby: they made so many and so many were saved, that they are as readily available today as when they were made. Breweries like Schell's and Iron City had production runs of cans that were marketed specifically at collectors and never even held beer (or not much anyway); and c) there are many fewer collectors today than when the hobby was at its peak in the 70s and 80s. Supply and demand.
SteveB, the most expensive brewery collectible I know of changed hands at $37,500 (two items, actually, both beer cans at that same price). That's not an insignificant amount and way more than I would ever pay for anything, but it pales in comparison to top-end sports memorabilia.
I started collecting around 1975-76 too but never really stopped, even though I was dormant for a few years in the mid-late '80s. I still collect and it's my primary collection (yes, cards are a close second). Here's a look at some of my collection. I mostly seek stuff from the 1950s and earlier. The cans are all 1930s to about 1950. The trays are pre-Prohibition era, from about 1900-1918, except for the Star tray which is from the mid-1930s.
If you want to learn more about cans you might have stashed away or the hobby in general check out
The Rusty Bunch forum (I'm an admin on that board), or feel free to contact me with questions.
