# THE HOLY GRAIL OF ACL SODA BOTTLES



## SODAPOPBOB (Sep 27, 2010)

I am not sure if I will achieve what I hope to here, but I thought I would give it a shot anyway. I guess you could call this a puplic (member) opinion poll of sorts. But the usual problem with this sort of thing is there are so many opinions, that you often wind up back where you started with little or nothing to show for everyone's efforts. With this said I will choose my words carefully when I ask; What, in our collective opinions, do we consider to be ...

                                 THE HOLY GRAIL OF ALL ACL SODA BOTTLES?

 Is it the "Mountain Dew" party jug? Or is it the "Big Hit" acl? Or is it any one of a number of others that I can't think of at the moment? But one that would qualify to wear the crown of crowns? Or is it impossible to say because everyone has their own personal favorite and that's just the way it is and always will be? And before I forget, please note that my particular interest here is with acls as opposed to embossed bottles. Embossed bottles are definitely cool to collect, but they would fall into a seperate category of their own.

 I just thought as a matter of historical interest it might be neat to see if by some miracle we (the members of the best bottle site on the internet) could agree once and for all by giving this distinguished title to a specific bottle (or three). And I guess the only way to do this would be for members to share what they honestly believe to be one bottle that stands high above all of the others. However, I suspect, and hope, what we will actually end up with is not one bottle, but several. And in that way we will have ... 

                         THE TOP THREE HOLY GRAIL ACL SODA BOTTLES OF ALL TIME

          So I guess the only way to find out if this will work is to cast your vote and see what happens.

 Suggestion:  Please bare in mind not only our own interest, but the collective interest of soda bottle collectors everywhere. And then in the years to come when some newbie or other interested party goes online in search of this so called collection of holy grail's, it will bring them right here where some, if not all of the countries best soda collectors hang their hats.

 Whew ... I wasn't sure I would be able to word all of that right. But if you don't mind my saying so, I think I did pretty good. 

                                                   WHAT SAY YOU?

               Thanks a lot everyone. I hope you enjoy this sort of thing as much as I do.

                                                               []

                                                     SODAPOPBOB

              P.S.  I will save my vote until later so as not to bias anything at the moment.


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## SODAPOPBOB (Sep 27, 2010)

* Footnote ...

 Please vote for only one acl bottle. The three I referred to will account for themselves when the voting is done. Thanks. SPBOB


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## morbious_fod (Sep 28, 2010)

Craig's Root Beer from Johnson City, Tenn, I've only heard of three examples. One was dug by Madman, Lee, and myself, but the top was knocked off, and the other is the one pictured with is owned by a friend of mine. The third I've only heard about, but haven't seen.







 BTW this one is the 1937 variation, there is a 1938.


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## SODAPOPBOB (Sep 28, 2010)

Thanks Morb ~  Great bottle and one I would love to have.

 I will go ahead and enter the "Big Hit." And my main reason for suggesting it is because when I met Rick Sweeny in his home (co author of the well known acl book) I asked him to show me what he considered to be his rarest (and most sought after) bottle. He then pulled his Big Hit off the display wall and handed it to me to examine. It was in what I would call near mint condition, and he said it was only one of three that he personally knew of to exist. He added that it had crossover interest with acl collectors in general as well as with baseball fans. And because baseball is America's favorite pastime sport I nominate it as the "Holy Grail" of all acls. By the way, Rick also said he had been offered big bucks for it on numerous ocassions, but at that time had declined all offers.

 As you can see I got this photo from e-bay. This was about a year ago. If my memory serves me correctly I believe it sold for about $1200.00.


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## SODAPOPBOB (Sep 28, 2010)

Additional note:

 If this thread progresses as I hope it will, I just wanted to remind everyone that it's okay to vote for the same bottle, whatever it might be. In the long run that will be the only way to determine the top favorite(s). Of course, any acl you consider to be the number one top dog is encouraged as well. We will allow this voting process to continue as long as necessary so as to determine the final pick(s).

 Thanks again to all,

 SPBOB


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## morbious_fod (Sep 28, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  SODAPOPBOB
> 
> Thanks Morb ~  Great bottle and one I would love to have.


 
 You and a metric ton of other Johnson City Tennessee collectors, including yours truly. LOL!


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## nomorecop (Sep 28, 2010)

Are we talking ACL bottles that may have been only in a limited market or say a certain Coke, Pepsi, Nesbitt Orange type bottle distributed nation wide?  Does my question make sense?


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## morbious_fod (Sep 28, 2010)

I'm sure that all acls both private label and national would be accepted.


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## madman (Sep 28, 2010)

hey morb niceone  don also has one that paul dug in bristol


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## morbious_fod (Sep 28, 2010)

Well that's four. LOL!


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## Anthonicia (Sep 28, 2010)

I don't know if it's the Holy Grail to everyone else or not, but I would like to nominate the "clear" Barney and Ally Mountain Dew.  I don't have the pic, just one of the green B and A.  Just imagine it in clear.  I am somewhat high on this bottle since I am finally getting the green one in the mail tomorrow or the next day.  

 I know Morbious will shoot me down on this nomination; I am probably just trying to brag about me getting the green Barney and Ally sub-consciously?  Did I mention I was getting the green bottle pictured below?  Sorry if you take this as me wasting your time fellas.  The clear one goes for over $1000 on the regular.  Pretty rare, but not the Party Jug by any means.  Much classier though, much more character!


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## mgardziella (Sep 29, 2010)

I'm sure I'll have some back-up on this one.   * Deacon Jones*


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## SODAPOPBOB (Sep 29, 2010)

mgardziella ~

 Thanks for participating. But before I say more I have to tease you about your name. You're one of the reasons I keep a pen and writing tablet at my desk. I have to write your name down everytime because there's no way I can remember how to spell it by memory. I think that part of my brain doesn't work. [8|]

 Anyway ... something told me you might not have one of them Deacon Jones bottles, so I thought I would share a photo of mine ... er, I mean a photo from "mine" acl book. Good nominee for the title of Grand Pubbah!


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## SODAPOPBOB (Sep 29, 2010)

Anthonicia ~

 Speaking of the Mountain Dew party jug, I guess we better put it on the list with the photo below. I'm pretty sure not too many members have one. I sure don't! But wish I did ... I do - I do - I do! []

 Let us see a photo of the clear glass bottle if you can. I can't recall ever seeing one.

 Thanks,

 SPBOB


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## ncbred (Sep 29, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  SODAPOPBOB
> 
> Anthonicia ~
> 
> ...


 

 Here is one...






 not mine, wish it was


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## morbious_fod (Sep 29, 2010)

The party jug would have to be the first Mountain Dew on a holy grail list; however, the clear Barney and Ally would run a close second, followed by the Charlie and Bill from Johnson City, Tenn.


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## SODAPOPBOB (Sep 30, 2010)

I thought I would toss this collection of "Earliest ACLs" into the mix for consideration. I can't imagine any one of us not wanting to add a couple of these to our collections. After all, I really have to wonder how many of the 7up 6 oz ambers are around, and what one would be worth in mint condition? I post them primarily as a reminder of their existence, but I am not necessarily voting on any one of them in particular. You will notice that Morb's "Craig's" is among them. So does this mean that it now has two votes?  Lol  []  You decide!

 My personal vote (with photo) will follow on the next page.

 SPBOB


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## SODAPOPBOB (Sep 30, 2010)

In my introduction to this thread I suggested we try and not list only what might be our personal favorites, but rather to concentrate on acls that would be of major interest to the collecting society as a whole. And yet it is extremely hard to seperate the two. After all, who would vote for (example) a "Craig's" if it wasn't of special interest to them?  So the more we get into this, the more I see how tough it will be to narrow things down to a select few. Obviously everyone likes the Mountain Dew's, as dew I. And I think they will be hard to beat. And even with this said, I would still like to nominate the "Kidd's Cola" for consideration as one of the top acls of all time. Personally, if I had the opportunity to choose between it and a clear glass "Mountain Dew," I would choose the "Kidd's." 

 But this thing is far from over, and the final pick(s) will eventually speak for themselves depending on the majority rule. So please keep the votes coming in. I think we may be close to a finish as I speak.

 SPBOB

 What is the rarity of the "Kidd's?" As far as I know it is off the chart. But what is it's popularity? Now that is the real question!


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## SODAPOPBOB (Sep 30, 2010)

Afterthought ... 

 Only moments ago I touched on this very subject, but I just had a brain-storm and would like to expound on ...

                                              RARITY vs POPULARITY / DEMAND

 I think it goes without saying that popularity/demand will always out weigh the rarity factor when it comes to a so called vote of this nature. Take for example the "Kidd's Cola" I just posted. If in time it should occur where a warehouse find turns up numerous cases of of the clear glass (Barney and Ally) Mountain Dew bottles, which would decrease their rarity, but at the same time the rarity factor of the "Kidd's Cola" remains the same, would this then also reduce the "popularity" of the Mountain Dew and increase the "popularity" of the Kidd's?  I realize this is a long and hypothetical question, but I also believe the answer is a simple one. Which is ..."Popularity/Demand" will always be the main factor when it comes to establishing the true "HOLY GRAIL" of acl soda bottles. So the new question is ...

                         WHAT IS THE MOST POPULAR AND IN DEMAND ACL OF ALL TIME?

                           Even though it is not my personal favorite, my final vote goes to ... 

                                                 "The Mountain Dew Party Jug!"

 There, I feel better now to finally get that off my chest. But please bare in mind this is still only one official vote for that particular bottle. And also be reminded we are primarily looking for the number one ACL here. The runner-up's will account for themselves.

 Thanks again to all,

 SPBOB


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## fishnuts (Sep 30, 2010)

After pondering this for some days now...
 This is what I come up with. 

 One of the neatest looking bottles to me.
 And as far as I understand, the example in the book is unique.  There is only one.
 That trumps Big Hit (seen 3 for sale), Kidd's Cola (seen several), Deacon Jones (got it), Brown Boy (got it).  Even the scary looking red/white Hazle  from Hazlehurst, MS I've seen available. (Of course it hit the table and instantly vanished into the hands of a collector!)

 Pedro Pop, 1939 from San Pedro, CA.
 Naturally, it's on my want list.  lol


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## SODAPOPBOB (Sep 30, 2010)

fishnuts ~

 Thanks for participating and for your helpful summary of acls seen/sold. In return I post this photo of the "Pedro Pop" (1939) that I got from my acl book. Great bottle! And also on my personal want list.

 Thanks again,

 SPBOB


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