Since 1886, a large majority of the American public has adamantly agreed that “Things go better with Coke.” The clever marketers for the Coca-Cola Company have enlisted the assistance of angelic looking children, beautiful Victorian women, rock stars, world class athletes, and Old St. Nick himself to catch our attention. As a result, this refreshing little soda fountain treat, which was purchased by only nine people in it’s first week on the market, is today the largest selling soft drink in the world.
As Americans entered the 20th century, Coke followed, establishing itself not only as a popular refreshment, but also a part of our culture. Two of America’s most beloved artists, Norman Rockwell and N. C. Wyeth, worked for Coca-Cola in the 1950s and 60s. In 1971 several hundred young people gathered on a hilltop in Italy to sing ‘I’d Like To Buy The World A Coke,” a subtle yet effective counter to the daily newscasts of our young people caught up in the chaos of the anti-war protests of the day, and in July of 1985 Coke became the first soft drink consumed by our astronauts in outer space.
Coke memorabilia came into vogue as a collectible in the early 1970s. Collectors fall into two distinct categories: vintage collectors who buy as an investment, and hobbyists who collect for fun. A wide price range makes Coke collectibles and memorabilia an area of collecting with something for everyone. A popular example at the top end of the scope are old calendars. A 1907 calendar recently brought a whopping $17,000 at auction. At the low end, there are commemorative bottles for sporting events, political events, and charitable functions in the $1-$3 range. These low end items are not a bad investment — just purchase them knowing that you will have to hold on to them for several years for their value to significantly increase.
As with most popular collectibles, reproductions abound. Many Coke collectibles have been fabricated to mimic the originals. If you have ever been fooled by one of these wannabes, you are not alone. Numerous trays, posters and calendars have been so well produced that they can fool even the long-time collector.
The majority of fakes are to be found in higher-end memorabilia; however, there are lower end items such a coolers and bottles being circulated. To add to the confusion, there are new items that have been made to look old that are not reproduction. How can that be? They are not reproductions because they are items that never existed until recently, they are just “aged” pieces for which there is no original.
Serious collectors have little if any interest in items since 1970. The exceptions to this rule would be the bottle from the 1992 Republican National Convention in Houston, Texas, which has been known to bring in excess of $300 at specialized auctions. It’s value is so high because most of the bottles supplied for this convention were opened, making a sealed example very rare. Most known examples of this rare bottle are in the possession of someone who was in attendance.
Early promotional pieces are difficult to find. Anything pre-1900 is considered rare and can bring thousands of dollars through the proper auction facility. By contrast, many pieces from the 1930s forward were produced in such large numbers that, even now, they are of minimal value. Until next time . . . . Linda
Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and the liquidation of estates and may be reached at 317-258-7835 or lkennett@indy.rr.com
