How to Date Coke Bottles
Some of those old glass containers you have lying around the house might be valuable, especially the old Coke bottles.
Want to know how to identify and date Coke bottles? There are many variables that need to be considered to identify the dates of Coke bottles.
Before manufacturing Coke bottles, Coca Cola was produced in soda fountains. Then they started serving Coke in glass bottles.
Any brand tries to protect its products against imitators, who may damage a company's interests if they operate on a large enough scale. Likewise, the Coke manufacturer also took out patents for some aspects that can help you identify them.
This video presents the history of Coca-Cola bottles that may visually help on how to date Coke bottles:
It is quite a challenge to date these bottles.
Spencerian script is used in the logo of Coke bottles with red and white colors. The combination of colors is simple and bold, and it attracts the audience easily.
In this article, we’ll go through some guidelines that would help you determine the date of Coke bottles. We will also provide you some tips which would help you in this process of differentiation.
How to Date Coke Bottles -- It's Not an Easy Thing
Having shared happiness with the help of their products for more than 125 years, the brand has employed various symbols.
There are numerous plants that manufacture glass Coke bottles all over the world. Also, over the years, there had been differences in branding the bottles.
So, to identify Coke bottles, a simple study would not help. Extensive research would be required since there are many glass factories, date codes and logos.
These are the things that need to be checked for identifying or to date a Coke bottle.
- Check for the manufacturer’s mark. The style of this trademark is tall and thin.
- The shape of Coke bottles is also unique. They are in the shape of “hobble skirt”.
- You should observe the style of Coca-Cola trademark. Look for the flat footed tail of letter “C” in the brand name Coca-Cola.
- Usually, symbols must be renewed periodically. Coke has also renewed its trademark twice for the past years.
- Also, there might be other inscriptions about the contents in the glass bottle. You need to carefully observe for warnings, if any.
- As discussed, you are now aware that warning messages may be embossed on Coke bottles. Sometimes, authorities print these warnings and you should be aware about these. The warning messages include words like not to be sold, to be returned, loaned etc.
- It is easy to date Coke bottles that are made by the Root Glass company. The word “ROOT” will be present on those bottles. The “ROOT” base mark can be seen in original Coke glass bottles.
- Root bottles carry model numbers. Also, Root Coke bottles will have heel numbers. “Co”, O will be in lower-case letters.
- A notice of “Property of” will be imprinted on Coke bottles.
- “Trademark Registered” – these are the words that are imprinted on the Coke bottles just below the trademark.
- “W.G.CO.” symbol could be seen on the base of the Coke glass bottles manufactured by Wormser Glass C.
- “R.G.CO.” symbol will be present on the Coke bottles that were manufactured in certain places like Columbia, Carolina, etc.
- Coke bottles manufactured in certain plants started to script the trademark on both the shoulders.
- Bottles issued by certain plants will show symbol of Coco-Cola on the base of the glass bottles.
- Another tip to date Coke bottles is – above the base, sides of the bottles are molded. This is called a cup bottom seam.
Additional Points that May Help in How to Date Coke Bottles
People assume that the city label on glass bottles specify the place where they are manufactured, but it is a misconception.
The city name has nothing to do with it. It is just that the bottles should be circulated in the city mentioned. As Coke is a large manufacturer, it usually produces bottles to circulate in different cities.
Now that you have understood that story of glass bottles of Coke has history similar to that of the company, this is small attempt to date Coke bottles. Over the years, changes were rapid.
It would be difficult to present everything in detail. So many companies are not yet explored. This is an attempt to simplify things and present in a way that is easily understandable.
This article is an attempt to present to you about the empirical observations which will help you in recognizing Coke bottles.
If you enjoy learning about how to date old coke bottles, then be sure to pin this to your favorite treasures board on Pinterest so you can find it again when you come across a Jefferson Nickel!
References
https://sha.org/bottle/pdffiles/coca-cola.pdf
http://www.fohbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DatingEarlyCocaColaBottles.pdf
http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/2008/10/lessons-learned-3/
https://erikafranz.wordpress.com/tag/dating-coca-cola-bottles/
http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/collectors-columns-collecting-bottles/