OK, I recently was able to purchase a beginner drum kit. Ludwig snare case, Gladstone pad, really cheap snare stand, broken sticks, and a Rogers Powertone snare drum. I didn't think anything of it until I got home and started taking it apart to clean it. This is not a brass shell. It's aluminum. It is not a steel shell either. The serial number dates the drum to 1968 and it has a Dayton tag. I was always told that the Powertones along with the Dyna-sonics had brass shells only. This shell is definitely ALUMINUM. Magnets will not stick to it and it is much lighter in weight than my other original Powertone which is brass. It has steel rims, regular beavertail lugs, and the normal powertone strainer. All in all, it is in very good shape.
I can't find any information about these aluminum shelled drums. I've searched the internet and about the only information I can find is from a thread on this forum about 15 years ago. GrandpaCleve started the thread and discussed the possibility of a batch of drums made in the 21000's serial number range. Mine definitely falls in that range. If anyone has any information to share about these drums, please do so. I'm interested in learning. I think they have to be a bit rare in the Rogers world. Thanks for reading this.