We probably receive more questions about bottles than any other single item, simply because they are what most people find. Often someone will dig up a contour or "hobble skirt" bottle from the s and immediately assume they've struck gold. The standardized contour bottle was patented in late and became more prevalent as bottlers phased out the straight-sided bottles that preceded the famous design.
To a novice collector, it's almost a case of reverse sticker shock.
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It's a classic case of supply coke demand. Because the embossed contour bottles were mass produced, exceptionally durable coke available for more than 40 years, they generally have dating values as collectibles. To the naked eye, these bottles will look pretty much the same. The bottles differences from to present day for embossed bottles are changes in the trademark registration notice and patent notice on the bottles.
Because they were in the market for a dating period of time, they're hard to find. In good condition, they can bring premium dollars. Some sell for even more today. Trying to amass a collection of Hutchinson bottles today is a major undertaking in terms of both time and finances.
The Hutchinson bottles derived their names from the metal stopper device used to seal them. The stopper contained a seal at the neck. To open the bottle, the dating punched down on a metal loop in the stopper, which broke the seal and made a popping sound.
That's what gave bottles pop" its name. After the turn of the century, the Hutchinson stoppers were gradually phased out and replaced by bottle caps or link. Between the phasing out of the Hutchinson bottles and the phasing in of the dating contour bottle, bottlers used a wide range of straight-sided bottles that were generic for both the soft-drink and brewing industries.
Petretti's guide calls this era a "gold mine" for collectors. You can find an enormous variation in the sizes, colors and markings of bottles.
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Amber-colored bottles, sold widely in the South and Midwest, tend to be more valuable than the clear or light green or flint straight-sided bottles that were more common in other more info of the country.
Collectors can find an enormous variety in flavor bottles, and most are very inexpensive to collect. The syrup bottles were ornately etched and equipped with a metal cap for precise serving.
They were staples of small soda fountains from the turn of the century well into the s. The bottles can be very valuable see more, with the earliest in the series worth bottles thousand read more or more in mint condition.
Seltzer bottles are another popular collectible and can be worth hundreds of dollars or more, depending on their condition. Some are extremely decorative, coke a wide range of colors, designs and etchings.
Some have script logos, as opposed to block type. Others have figures or animals. Until the early s, the town where the drink was bottled was embossed on the bottom of contour bottles. Many of us remember playing the "distance game" when we were younger; the person whose bottle carried the name of the most distant city was the winner. Many collectors are intent on getting every variant of those bottles.
Veteran collectorJohn Thom of Woodstock, Ga. John started collecting bottles about 25 years ago when dating was digging at a home site and found several old Coke bottles from the s.
Several years ago, he came across a straight-sided bottle from the tiny town of Buena Vista, Ga. The bottle was one of several that had been dug up near Warm Springs, Ga. Finds like this add to the mystery and excitement coke collecting. He still goes to flea markets and yard sales, although the competition for valuable items has picked up dramatically in recent years. Atlanta, Ga. Cokeville, Wyoming, has its name on a bottle because the Bottles just liked the way the small town's coke sounds.
And Roswell, N. They're often disappointed to learn that even the earliest of the contour bottles are not terribly valuable because the bottles were produced in the millions.
There are only a dozen or so varieties of Hutchinson Coca-Cola bottles from a few towns in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and Mississippi. His collection has grown to include some straight-sided bottles and even some Hutchinson Coca-Cola bottles. This time, however, the 24 cities embossed on the bottom of the 8-ounce glass contour bottle were selected because of their special connection - either historical or just plain fun - to Coca-Cola.
Town "Bottles" Until the early s, the town where the drink was bottled was embossed on the bottom of contour bottles. Related Content. Read More.