Well,thats good! The earliest cases were used to hold bottles and may or may not have had a lid with a metal clasp and 2 inner metal hinges.They go back to the turn of the century and may have had wooden bottle dividers inside.The key to old wood cases is the wood itself
and how visible the writing/graphics are.Check the bottom for dry rot,which gives the wood a white powdery look.This CAN'T be repaired!You may be able to date your case by looking at the tax stamps affixed to the sides.They were punched with the date in reverse.

If your case has a lot of dirt on the sides where it was handled,spray some Murphy's wood soap on it and rub it with a sponge in hot water.It will improve the look and condition quite a bit.Be careful-as the printing can be fragile on these cases.Yep...I've wiped a few to the point of no return...gulp.Take a cloth and spray WD-40 or a light oil on it and hit the metal bands and hinges.This will improve the appearance too.

Cardboard cases came afterwards,and held both cans and bottles in them.I've seen 3,4,6,12,18,24 and 48 pack can carriers,and 2,4,6,12
and 24 pack bottle holders.Look for the words CAP SEALED CANS on your holder-thats a clue that it held cone top cans (I have a weakness for these) If your holder held CANS that are desirable,chance are IT will be collectible.Price goes up with graphics and characters
on the case,or,a picture of the can or bottle.

Thats just a brief overview-hope it helps!