A vintage Coke bottle found in a dusty antique store turned out to be a lot more than a cool old collectible.
According to a post on Reddit and a follow-up report by Newsweek, one antiques lover may have stumbled across one of the oldest sealed Coca-Cola bottles in existence—and he only paid $75 for it.
Reddit user u/partyjam3 first spotted the pre-1916 Coke bottle two years ago while browsing at a vintage shop. It was marked at $100, which was out of his price range at the time. Still, he snapped a photo before leaving.
Fast-forward to his visit to a Coca-Cola museum. When he showed the picture to a museum guide, the reaction was immediate. The guide told him their oldest sealed bottle only dated back to the 1940s—and that his find looked even older. So, naturally, he rushed back to the shop.
To his surprise, the bottle was still there. Not only that, but he was able to buy it for $75.
So, how much is it actually worth?
Two years after securing the item, during which he even considered drinking it, the collector brought it to an Antiques Roadshow event for an informal appraisal.
He posted an update on Reddit’s r/Antiques, addressing the doubters first.
“Well, the appraisal person said it was most likely not resealed, so I would like an apology from all the people doubting me,” he wrote.
As for value? That was a little tricky.
“They had a hard time valuing it since there are no other ones ever sold,” he wrote. “They said $1,000 to $2,000, maybe even more.”
Results of my appraisal from Antiques Roadshow for my early 1900 sealed Coca-Cola bottle USA
byu/partyjam3 inAntiques
Commenters had some creative ideas
Under the post, users were quick to offer suggestions, not all of them practical.
“Email someone at Coke marketing or a museum and see if either of them want to buy it off you,” one person suggested.
“Sell 1/2 ounce shots and host an opening party—$500 a pop,” another joked.
Someone else had a more chaotic idea.
“Hit up Pepsi’s social media person and make bank. They’ll figure something out to do with it,” they wrote. “Time for another viral ad. lol”
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