Coca-Cola's Original Can Was A Wartime Creation (And Is A Valuable Find Now)

Besides the distinctively contoured glass bottle that preceded it, there are arguably few more recognizable examples of American iconography than the aluminum Coca-Cola can. Yet this cultural touchstone for the soft drink industry might not have achieved such ubiquity were it not for Coca-Cola's long-standing relationship with the United States military. It is thanks to this that early models of the Coke can have become prized collectibles which can fetch a surprisingly high price today, with some examples going for upwards of $200.

Canned beverages first appeared in the market in 1935, firstly with beer, but with soda following shortly thereafter, though manufacturers were still figuring out how to prevent the drinks from acquiring an unpalatable metallic taste. Coca-Cola produced sample models for 16- and 32-ounce cone top cans in 1936, but neither went into production.

By World War II, Coca-Cola had achieved global popularity. In Germany, the drink enjoyed great success prior to the conflict's outbreak, but after exports of Coca-Cola syrup were cut off, the company's German subsidiary was forced to invent Fanta as an alternative. Meanwhile, Coca-Cola President Robert Woodruff declared that every American serviceman would get a bottle of Coca-Cola for five cents "wherever he is and whatever it costs the company." As a result, U.S. forces would consume over five billion bottles of Coke by the war's end. 

By 1955, Coca-Cola had developed its first canned Cokes as a resilient alternative to the more breakable bottles, and began selling them to overseas servicemen. In 1959, the company began test-marketing canned Coca-Cola in five U.S. cities. Coke cans from this period are now considered eminently collectible due to their rarity and historical value.

So, if you happen to have stumbled upon an old Coca-Cola can, how can you tell whether it is from this formative era? According to the specialist website CollectibleSodaCans.com, the earliest batches of canned Coke were produced in 1955 and 1956. The 1955 batch was canned at Coca-Cola's Hayward, California, plant, while the 1956 batch came out of their operation in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Both will have their plant of origin printed somewhere on the can, and both will also have "PREPARED FOR EXPORT ONLY" written along the side, just above the can's seam. 

Another telltale sign of the can's early provenance will be its design — a simple white diamond on a red background, which was the standard for Coca-Cola cans prior to the introduction of the "Harlequin" design in 1966. Nevertheless, very early Coca-Cola cans can be distinguished by the absence of a Coca-Cola bottle design within the white diamond, which would not be introduced until 1961. The fact that these were relatively small batches accounts for their rarity and value.

If it turns out your vintage Coke can is not among the very first, never fear — there is a burgeoning market for vintage soda cans of all kinds. Discontinued beverages are often especially prized, while cans that have been accidentally sealed and shipped while empty due to factory error have been known to go for as much as $25,000. It shows that what we once might have considered the most commonplace of food and beverage containers can become a valuable collectible, so before you put that limited-edition mug or movie tie-in glass in the yard sale, maybe take a quick scroll through eBay and check its worth.