People in West Virginia, check your old Coca-Cola bottles! One could be really valuable.
Coca-Cola says that a rare prototype bottle worth $250,000 shows an important moment in the history of branding.
Work and Money says that in 1915, Coca-Cola held a design contest to come up with a unique bottle that would set the company apart from others. This was the idea of Benjamin Thomas, who helped to start the company.
Work and Money says that Earl R. Dean, a designer at the Root Glass Company in Terre Haute, Indiana, made a revolutionary prototype that was shaped like a cocoa pod.
Coke says Dean found the design while doing research in the library and made a special bottle with a wider middle and a smaller bottom.
Work and Money say that the iconic Coca-Cola bottle we all know today was based on a better version of his design that was mass-produced even though his original prototype wasn’t.
This unique piece of history, which shows the beginnings of one of the most durable drink containers, shows how creativity helped shape Coca-Cola’s image around the world.
