Hardly anyone today, remembers full service where they pumped your gasoline, washed your windshield, checked your oil, and the air in your tires. It was the same at most any gasoline station with one exception. At the local Standard Oil Gasoline Station, if you needed air they added it at no charge and put a set of these valve stem caps on to let the world know that you bought gasoline at the local Standard Oil Station. You got Red Crown valve caps if you bought regular gasoline or Gold Crown valve stems caps if you bought premium gasoline.
The "Red Crowns" were a reminder of the Red Crown Gasoline they sold. The Red Crown Caps were a likeness of the glass Red Crown globes on top of the gasoline pumps on the drive. The Red Crown was by far the most popular grade of gasoline they offered. Red Crown gasoline was introduced sometime around 1914 along with White Crown (premium) gasoline which would become Gold Crown premium gasoline in 1951.
The Red Crown valve caps were nothing short of advertising genius. For just pennies the Standard oil dealer could advertise his gasoline on half the cars in town. In addition... if kids rode in on their bicycles they too could get a set of Red Crowns. And you know... as soon as one kid in the neighborhood got'em the rest were soon to follow. Car owners and kids alike would come by the station to get something for free... just like they still do today. Station owners literally ordered the Red Crown valve stem caps by the hundreds.
The Red Crown Valve Stem caps were introduced sometime in the 1940's and lasted until about 1962. Their popularity was the strongest from about 1955 thru 1962. They introduced the Gold Crown Caps in 1951 to help market the new Gold Crown Gasoline. You seldom saw a set of Gold Crown Valve Stem caps, the Red Crowns always seemed to be more popular, the bright color seemed to be more eye catching.
The good news is both the Red Crown and the Gold Crown valve stem caps are now available in the parts department at Fifth Avenue. They became one of my nostalgia projects because of how popular they once were and the genius marketing idea they represent. It is the detail you need to set your antique vehicle apart from the rest. These are an exact match to the originals.
So a set of the Red Crowns (5) will set you back $10.00. The Gold Crown caps are the same price and also come in sets of (5). These are the authentic red color of the originals. Postage is included.
If you want to make them look like they have been on your antique vehicle since the 1950's just set them out in the sun for a while the gloss will disappear and they will fade to a dull red and look just like a used set from the 1950's. Life is good !
Meanwhile... Here is more Standard Oil Red Crown gasoline history...
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