Coca-Cola Collectibles
By Teresa Ambord
The world's most popular soft drink is also the source of a popular collectible. "Coca-Cola" items. Considering the longevity of this ubiquitous product, it's no wonder that the famous "Coca-Cola" trademark is one of the most recognizable symbol on the planet.
Are you a Coke fan? Some diehard fans have been collecting Coca-Cola memorabilia for decades, from the red signs that graced the walls of gas stations and diners, to the curvaceous glass Coke bottles. These days, there's a new Coke collectible craze, that has inspired the production of an endless line of new Coke items available in stores.
Who Invented Coke?
You may think the inventor of Coca-Cola became an extremely wealthy man. But the truth is, "Doc" John Pemberton died penniless. Here's the story:
Pemberton was actually a druggist, not a doctor, from Georgia. In the late 1800s, patent medicines like elixirs that claimed to cure absolutely everything were highly popular. Pemberton moved to Atlanta in 1870 with a dream of coming up with a formula for a wildly successful elixir that would make him rich. Though he didn't grow rich, he would be surprised to know that, over 130 years later, his recipe which we know as Coke is still, as he'd hoped, wildly successful.
Pemberton had some luck with a mixture that people enjoyed in the evening. So, along with his accountant, Frank Robinson, he sets his sights on creating a daytime pick-me-up, which he referred to as a "whole body tonic." That's when he added an extract from the kola nut, which turned out to be caffeine, to tincture of coca. Together, the two ingredients had a bitter taste, so to mask that bitterness, Pemberton added a blend of spices and citrus flavorings.
Robinson suggested the name, Coca-Cola, and developed the flowing letters of the Coca-Cola label.
On May 29, 1886, Coca-Cola made its debut at Jacob's Pharmacy. The drink was such a huge hit that Pemberton was offered $1,200 for the recipe. He sold it and died just two years later, unaware of the enormity of the product he'd introduced to the world.
Here are some other interesting facts about how Coca-Cola developed the image we know so well. The syrup to make Coca-Cola was shipped in used whiskey barrels. The owner of the production company thought that was a crude image. So he had barrels painted bright red. The color stuck.
Then there is the shape of the bottle. The company accountant was sent to the library to gather information on the coca bean and kola nut. When he returned, he had drawn a sketch of the curvy bean, which gave him the idea for the shape of the Coca-Cola bottle. Only... it was a mistake. The accountant didn't know that he'd researched the wrong bean, the cocao bean. In the long run, it was probably a happy mistake since the shape, like the color, stuck. Coca-Cola first appeared for sale in bottles in 1899.
Older fans remember the bright red Coca-Cola chest-type Coke machines that could be found in gas stations, along with the round red Coke signs that were everywhere. The Coca-Cola Company knew the value of advertising and they slapped their trademark signs wherever they could, including thermometers, clocks, glasses, food trays, you name it. Now those items are memorabilia. If you find examples of Coca-Cola bottles from the early 1900s, you have a rare and valuable item.
You can correspond with collectors of Coca-Cola memorabilia by checking out the Collectors Message Board below:
The Coke Company is a great source for Coke collectibles, as well as everything you ever wanted to know about Coke, then and now.
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Coca-Cola Store Click "Collectibles"
Here's a Web site where you can shop for Coca-Cola collectibles dating back to the 1930s.
If you're a serious collector, you'll love the Pacific Products Gallery. They have an extensive list of Coke collectibles at reasonable prices. Click here to check it out:
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