Vintage Bottles That Are Worth A Fortune Today

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For many people around the world, vintage bottle collecting is a serious hobby — and it makes sense. Before everything was made of plastic, bottles were usually crafted with glass, which is renowned for its longevity and durability. This means that many glass bottles produced decades ago have held up pretty well and can offer us a window into how things looked in the past. Today, you can hold a glass bottle from the prohibition era, for example, and it won't appear too different from how it looked a century ago, especially if someone has taken good care of it.

But the benefits of vintage bottle collecting don't end with nostalgia or fascination. Some old, glass bottles are, quite frankly, worth a fortune. Below, we've rounded up some of the most valuable vintage bottles on the market, from Coca-Cola and Heinz Ketchup to bourbon whiskey and beyond. If you are considering getting into vintage bottle collecting, this is your sign to get started.

Afri-Cola has quite a history. The cola-flavored soda was first produced in Germany in the 1930s as an alternative to Coca-Cola. The soda giant was still hugely popular in the country throughout the Nazi regime, but Afri-Cola catered to growing anti-American sentiment at the time. It was one of the most popular soda brands in Germany for a few decades after its creation. You can still buy Afri-Cola today, although it's nowhere near as popular as it once was. As of 2024, the biggest soft drink producer in Germany is Coca-Cola.

But vintage Afri-Cola bottles have become quite a collector's item. An unopened Afri-Cola bottle, produced for the Italian market in 1960, is currently listed on eBay for just under $60,000. Yes, you read that correctly. According to the seller, it was found in the attic of their grandparents' house in Italy and has somehow managed to retain its perfect condition over the decades.

For those looking for Afri-Cola bottles from the past that are considerably cheaper (and we do mean considerably), there are vintage Afri-Cola bottles listed on eBay for between $10 and $20. These price points are slightly more in the average person's budget.

One of the most fascinating facts about Coca-Cola is that it has been drunk all over the world for over a century. The popular sugary soda was first invented in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1886. Back then, however, it was a syrup that was only available in pharmacies (per its original marketing, people thought it cured headaches). In the early 1900s, Coca-Cola was bottled, and that's when things started to take off for the company.

International expansion accelerated during the war years, and today, it's the go-to beverage for most people. But we don't need to tell you that, you more than likely have a can or a bottle of the beverage chilling in your fridge right now. Because Coca-Cola has been popular for so long, many of its vintage bottles are floating around on sites like eBay and Etsy. As expected, some are worth a pretty penny.

One vintage set of Coca-Cola bottles from December 1923, for example, is currently listed on eBay for $2,000. Another unopened bottle of Coca-Cola from four decades ago is being sold on eBay for $3,000. A set of two green glass Coca-Cola bottles from 1993 is also listed on eBay for $2,000.

You might not have heard of the vintage bottle that's worth a fortune today, but at least one person was prepared to pay $12,650 for the privilege of owning the glass bottle that once contained California Grapine Syrup. This early 1900s syrup was a key ingredient in making flavored beverages. This vintage bottle, and similar ones from the bygone era, are incredibly rare now, which cranks up their value. According to its listing on Antique Advertising, which reported the enormous sale by Wm Morford Antiques, the rare soda bottle has a hand-applied lip and was probably once used for display purposes.

The exact date of the bottle's production isn't confirmed, but it was likely manufactured by the California Syrup & Extract Company, which was founded in South Berkeley, California, in 1910. The Berkeley company, which is no longer in operation, once specialized in pickles, vinegars, and syrups. Eventually, it expanded into products like apple cider, salad oils, and mustard.

Milk consumption has been a cornerstone of American society for a very long time. In the 1780s, milk delivery began in Vermont, and by the late 1800s, it was normal to find fresh milk in a glass bottle on your doorstep every day. Of course, as of 2025, the milk industry looks dramatically different. Milk is often sold in plastic containers, for a start, and plenty of people prefer to drink dairy-free alternatives. But those glass bottles that used to contain cow's milk? They're still around and have become a pretty expensive collectible item.

Antique Advertising, for example, currently lists a vintage milk bottle, produced by Garden Farm Dairies in Denver, Colorado, for just under $1,000. Wm Morford Antiques sold the bottle, and it features a distinct Polar Bear Ice Cream label. On eBay, another vintage milk bottle from 1929 is listed for $448. This bottle is a particularly rare find because it can be traced back to a woman-owned dairy in Stockton, California.

Around the time that Coca-Cola was taking its first steps in Georgia, another pharmacist, Caleb Bradham, was experimenting with a similar soda that would become Pepsi-Cola (and later just Pepsi). The iconic soda was known as Brad's drink and marketed as a cure for indigestion. Like its rival, Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola was virtually an overnight success, and by the early 1900s, thousands of gallons were sold each year. Today, Pepsi (and its producer, PepsiCo) is a household name. 

Just like Coca-Cola, several vintage Pepsi-Cola bottles are waiting to be snapped up — for a hefty price, though. At the time of writing, one eBay post lists a rare vintage Pepsi-Cola glass bottle for a buy-it-now price of $30,000. Another unopened, 1959 Pepsi-Cola bottle, produced in Cyprus, is being sold on eBay for $1,500. Haven't got thousands of dollars to spend on a Pepsi-Cola? Don't worry. You can also find vintage bottles on eBay going for the far more reasonable prices of $26 and $35.

When you hear the name "Dom Pérignon," you probably think of luxury and sophistication. But in a way, the wine brand, which is produced by the French winery Moët & Chandon, has humble origins. It was named after a 17th-century monk, Dom Pérignon, who had a talent and passion for winemaking and helped shape how Champagne is produced. In his honor, the first aged bottle of Dom Pérignon was made in 1921 and sold in 1936.

Dom Pérignon still sells today, and it is far from budget-friendly, with prices reaching into the hundreds and even thousands of dollars. But if you decide to splash out, be assured that these bottles seem to hold considerable value, even when they're empty. On eBay, for example, one listing for an empty Dom Pérignon from Japan, produced in 1969, is listed for $1,530. Another bottle from the same year is selling on eBay for just under $1,400.

Versions of tequila have been consumed for centuries. In fact, research suggests that early Aztec civilizations cultivated a similar drink, known as pulque, as far back as 1000 B.C. But as for the commercial production we're familiar with today, that didn't start until the 1700s. Pepe Lopez came around a century and a half later in 1857; today, the brand is one of the oldest names in the tequila industry. That's why some of its vintage bottles are pricey.

Right now, on eBay, one rare vintage Pepe Lopez tequila bottle from 1965, complete with a straw cover, is listed for $650. According to the seller, despite its age, the bottle is still in mint condition. This is by far one of the most expensive vintage tequila bottles, but it's not the only one out there. You can also snap up a 2004 Clase Azul tequila bottle for $350 on eBay, while an empty bottle of Milagro Tequila Romance, also listed on eBay, will set you back $175.

If you're in the mood for grape soda, you can choose from the popular grape soda brands we have ranked. It's a huge category in its own right — in 2024, the global grape soda market was valued at $3.2 billion, per Market Intelo. But back in the early 1900s, when grape soda was just entering the market, there weren't so many options floating around. There were, for example, Grapico, Nehi Grape, and NuGrape. The latter was one of the most popular grape soda brands in America in the early 1920s.

NuGrape has a long history, and that means there are plenty of vintage bottles floating around on the internet. And as you've probably guessed, they are far from cheap. One 1920s-vintage NuGrape soda bottle is currently listed on eBay for just under $700. Another bottle from the same period is on eBay for $400. Not all vintage NuGrape bottles are that expensive, though. For example, you can snap up a six-pack of a 1950, complete with a cardboard container, for just over $100 on eBay.

Just like Coca-Cola, Heinz Ketchup is ubiquitous in the U.S. According to a Market Analysis Report published on Grand View Research, 97% of American households eat ketchup. While there are many different ketchup brands around, for most consumers, Heinz is king. This success didn't happen overnight, however. Heinz has been selling ketchup for over a century — since 1876, to be exact. 

If you want to get your hands on one of Heinz's oldest ketchup bottles, you will have to pay a considerable amount of money. One vintage bottle from the brand is currently selling on eBay for just under $200. The bottle isn't dated, but you can tell it's pretty old from the sauce inside, which has turned dark-brown. Needless to say, it's not safe for consumption. 

Another early Heinz Ketchup bottle is also listed on Antique Advertising for about $122. Again, the date isn't specified. Surprisingly, a Heinz Ketchup bottle doesn't have to be made of glass to be valuable. Two Heinz EZ Squirt plastic bottles, released in the early 2000s, are currently listed on eBay for north of $200.

Perusing facts about pure maple syrup will tell you one thing: It has a long history in the U.S. Native Americans were cultivating and consuming maple sugar long before Europeans arrived in 1620. Throughout the 1700s and 1800s, the maple syrup industry grew, becoming the breakfast and brunch favorite we all know and love today. Because of this long history, vintage maple syrup bottles have become collectors' items and vary in price.

For example, Antique Advertising currently lists an empty vintage maple syrup bottle for $176. It was produced in Vermont by Hazen's and features a label depicting men making syrup in the woods. On eBay, a set of 7 empty maple syrup bottles from 1976 is selling for just under $90. Another eBay listing is a Little Brown Jug maple syrup bottle from the 1920s, going for just under $67. If you want to collect maple syrup bottles from the past but don't want to spend a fortune, you have options. For example, one 1985 glass bottle of Mrs. Butterworth's maple syrup is on sale for the much more affordable price of $13 on eBay.

Pacific Southwest Airlines isn't in operation anymore, but it was once a very successful regional airline. It was founded in 1949 in San Diego with just one plane, but the empire quickly expanded. By the end of the 1960s, Pacific Southwest Airlines was ferrying more than 3 million passengers around the U.S. In the early 1980s, that figure had jumped to about 6 million. But the airline didn't last. It merged with USAir in 1988, after two fatal crashes (the first in 1978 and the second in 1987).

Today, a champagne bottle that was once served aboard Pacific Southwest Airlines is on the market. The bottle, which features a red label with an image of a plane, is selling for just over $800 on eBay. According to the seller, while the champagne is branded as Pacific Southwest Airlines, it was actually produced by Belvoir Champagne Cellars in Fremont, California.

Gatorade, one of the best-selling soft drinks in the U.S., has been popular for decades. Packed with electrolytes, it was initially invented in the 1960s for football players struggling in the Florida heat, and at first, it wasn't that tasty. But then new flavors were introduced, and, with marketing help from superstar athlete ambassadors, it became a hit, not just in the U.S., but overseas, too. 

If you want to own a little piece of Gatorade's history, the easiest way is to browse vintage bottles on eBay. Prices vary, and you can snap up some vintage Gatorade glass bottles for as little as $15 on eBay. Others, however, are significantly more expensive. One vintage sealed bottle of Gatorade from the 1980s is currently listed on eBay for $250; another sealed bottle from 1991 is going for $125 on eBay.

Cayuga Lake, the longest of the Finger Lakes, is known for many things. To start with the obvious, there's the impressive scenery, of course. But, as a viticultural area, the lake is also known for its alcohol production. There are many vineyards, breweries, and distilleries in the region. It seems one of those distilleries, at some point, created a liquor specifically for nearby Cornell University and called it "Bear Brew."

There is little information available about Bear Brew other than its vintage status, but you can buy an empty glass bottle for just under $500 on eBay. Its high price is likely due to its rarity. The label features a bear leaning on the letter "C," and the description below the graphic explains that the liquor was brewed exclusively for Cornell using Cayuga Lake water.

Just like grape soda, orange soda began life at the beginning of the 20th century. A Chicago-based chemist, Neil C. Ward, created Orange Crush and teamed up with businessman Clayton J. Howl to market it. At first, it was made with orange pulp and juice, but in the 1930s, this was removed in favor of flavorings. That drink was very similar to the orange sodas on the market today, like Fanta, for example. 

If you're an orange soda enthusiast, you might be interested to know that there are still plenty of vintage Orange Crush bottles up for grabs. But, as you've probably guessed, they do not come cheap. At the time of writing, on eBay, a set of 6 vintage miniature Orange Crush bottles in a wooden crate is listed for $385. A set of two Orange Crush bottles from the 1940s is also being sold on eBay for $85.

In the late 1800s, the American whiskey business was booming. Bourbon, especially, was having a moment. One of the key players in the industry at the time was Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Just before the turn of the century, Taylor opened the Old Taylor Distillery in Kentucky, but it collapsed amid prohibition in the 1920s. Today, that same distillery is operating as Castle & Key, while another Kentucky distillery, Buffalo Trace, produces whiskey under the E.H. Taylor, Jr. name.

Want to own a slice of whiskey history, with a vintage bottle of Old Taylor whiskey? You can, but for a price. At the time of writing, an empty bottle of Old Taylor whiskey, complete with a pourer, is available on eBay for about $360. You can also snap up an empty bottle with a box from the 1930s for $130 on eBay. A 1953 bottle, boasting gold lettering, is also listed on eBay for $75.

Sherry, a Spanish fortified wine, has been drunk in the U.S. for decades. It may even have been the first wine shipped to America. Back in the 1800s, it was the key ingredient of the cocktail of the moment, the sherry cobbler, which was basically just sherry with some sugar, ice, and fruit. Back then, the Spanish drink was seen as fun and new, but also, crucially, not too expensive.

Now, though, if you want to get your hands on a vintage sherry bottle, you'll have to stump up the cash. Per Antique Advertising, one vintage sherry bottle, complete with an image of a saloon girl on the label, was sold in 2013 for a whopping $4,140. At the time of writing, a Canasta Cream sherry bottle from the 1960s, complete with a carrying basket, is selling on eBay for about $360. Similarly, an antique sherry bottle, apparently from the prohibition era, is also listed for $100 on eBay.