Coca-cola Memorabilia Collecting: Secrets To Starting This Fascinating Hobby
Ever since Joseph Biedenharn bottled the first Coca-Cola in 1894, people have fallen in love with the drink and with a multitude of collectibles associated with this popular beverage. Everything from bottles to signs or just about any item you can imagine has been associated with the Coca-Cola or Coke trademark and Coca-Cola memorabilia is one of the most popular kinds of collecting. If it is a vintage Coca-Cola item of any kind, there is likely a collector who will buy it.
When you speak of Coca Cola collectibles, you naturally begin with the famous bottles. The earliest ones have the greatest value. They were hand blown and mismatched as to color, form, and even size. The earliest of all had a rubber seal and a cap with a wire. However, since the taste of the drink was affected by the rubber, this closure didn't last very long. By 1910, the glass containers were machine crafted and standardized. The Coca Cola bottle shape everyone recognizes was adopted in 1916 and has endured since then.
Coca-Cola bottles are valuable not just because of their age, but also because many of these bottles were issued as commemorative items. The advent of the aluminum can in the 1960's also made commemorative cans to be collectible items, and much more so if they are unopened.
Coca-Cola memorabilia collectors value the cartons and cases used for Coke products. The six-pack cardboard holder, introduced in 1928, is one of the early packages, once common with Coke products. Some collectors also prefer wooden cases. The pairing bottles represent an even better alternative for contemporary packaging.
Even the bottle caps can be valuable collectibles, since they have also been issued as commemorative items as well. There was once a contest which awarded a free case of Coke for collection a bottle cap from each of the 50 states -- and a full set of these would thrill collectors. Many Coca Cola collectors have a very narrow focus in their collecting.
Some Coke items were licensed by the company but aren't actual beverage items. These include china, glasses, sweat shirts, t-shirts, key chains, stuffed animals and thousands of other items over the years. An excellent source for finding Coca-Cola memorabilia is the internet. Searching the term will give literally thousands of hits and you can also find tons on popular online auction sites.
When you speak of Coca Cola collectibles, you naturally begin with the famous bottles. The earliest ones have the greatest value. They were hand blown and mismatched as to color, form, and even size. The earliest of all had a rubber seal and a cap with a wire. However, since the taste of the drink was affected by the rubber, this closure didn't last very long. By 1910, the glass containers were machine crafted and standardized. The Coca Cola bottle shape everyone recognizes was adopted in 1916 and has endured since then.
Coca-Cola bottles are valuable not just because of their age, but also because many of these bottles were issued as commemorative items. The advent of the aluminum can in the 1960's also made commemorative cans to be collectible items, and much more so if they are unopened.
Coca-Cola memorabilia collectors value the cartons and cases used for Coke products. The six-pack cardboard holder, introduced in 1928, is one of the early packages, once common with Coke products. Some collectors also prefer wooden cases. The pairing bottles represent an even better alternative for contemporary packaging.
Even the bottle caps can be valuable collectibles, since they have also been issued as commemorative items as well. There was once a contest which awarded a free case of Coke for collection a bottle cap from each of the 50 states -- and a full set of these would thrill collectors. Many Coca Cola collectors have a very narrow focus in their collecting.
Some Coke items were licensed by the company but aren't actual beverage items. These include china, glasses, sweat shirts, t-shirts, key chains, stuffed animals and thousands of other items over the years. An excellent source for finding Coca-Cola memorabilia is the internet. Searching the term will give literally thousands of hits and you can also find tons on popular online auction sites.
