# Confused about Christmas Coke



## chosi (Oct 24, 2008)

I recently bought this Christmas Coke bottle (i.e. the patent date embossed on it is Christmas day, December 25th 1923).  I collect Washington DC bottles, and it has "WASHINGTON DC" embossed on the bottom.  So I was thinking it was an old bottle, from the 1920's or 1930's.  
 It still has the contents in it, and a bottle cap.  The bottle cap looks old, but it says "Coca Cola Classic", and "BOTTLED UNDER AUTHORITY BLUEGRASS COCA-COLA BOTTLING COMPANY, LOUISVILLE, KY".  The Bluegrass company appears to be recent, as does the term "Coca Cola Classic".   I beleive the cap is less than 10 years old.
 So what's the deal?  Does Coca-cola still make hobbleskirt bottles with the Christmas patent date on it?  Or is it possible I have an old bottle with a new cap on it?  Can anyone explain this to me?


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## GuntherHess (Oct 24, 2008)

Can you post a photo of the bottom? 
 If it has the small embossing for the city name its probably one of the newer commemorative christmas cokes. 

http://www.antiquebottles.com/pics/SpotXmasRepro.jpg

 The bottom center one in this photo is the 1989 repro


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## chosi (Oct 24, 2008)

It looks a little different from the ones at your posted web site, but the bottom has a ribbed ring around it that also seems indicative of a newer bottle.


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## cc6pack (Oct 24, 2008)

Chosi 

 Here's the rest of the page that Gunther posted the pic from. Read the notice under the 1923 Christmas Coke. Hope you didn't pay to much for the NDNR bottle.

http://www.antiquebottles.com/coke/


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## GuntherHess (Oct 24, 2008)

I'm certainly no coke expert. I just know there were later made christmas cokes.


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## digger mcdirt (Oct 24, 2008)

That bottle was reproduced 3-4 times the last time in the 90's. The old ones always have the city in large letters on the bottom. Look on the side there are two numbers that will date it. I get calls all the time on Christmas Cokes and many turn out to be the restrikes. They were used just like a regular Coke they are lighter glass and like I said the bottom tells on them. bob


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## digger mcdirt (Oct 24, 2008)

See if this helps the bottom on the left is what you see on the original Christmas Cokes note the large Jackson Tenn. The one on the right is a restrike from 1989 note the small letters in city and state verse the original large size. Also the restrike is numbered on the sitde with the date code as left 1st number in this case 89 and the original is date coded with the year on the right in this case 1934.  All will have a series of #'s on lower side somewhere some are 2 #'s and some are 3 #'s on older ones the right # is the year 34 = 1934. On later ones the year code is 1st # in this case 89 =1989. Hope this helps bob


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## glass man (Oct 24, 2008)

Mcdirt ,on CHOSI'S 1923 it has the ridges on the bottom ,ain't that also a clue to it being newer?[aware not all have the ridges ,but all that do are newer,true?]


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## digger mcdirt (Oct 24, 2008)

Good point Yes you see it more on the 90's restrikes,  but some of the 80's restrikes also had those none of the originals ever had them. You also see them on most other soda bottles of the 90's era. The most telling way to date any Coke is by the base and side # they don't lie. Coke went to a smaller type base lettering in the 50's but the Christmas Coke never had the small letter embossed base.


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## bamascavenger (Oct 25, 2008)

Another way to tell is, below the lip on the neck...you have to look VERY close almost at angles at times and you will see a very faint black bar code on the new restrikes. Hope this helps too.


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## chosi (Oct 25, 2008)

So I now have no doubt that my bottle is recent - luckily I did not pay much for it.
 There are 2 numbers on the side, about 1 inch up from the base: "8" and "5".   Should I take that to mean that this bottle was made in 1985?


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## digger mcdirt (Oct 25, 2008)

That probaly is not the date if it is that close to the bottom. I would look higher up below the embossed Coca Cola and more to the side. Without seeing it I can't tell you but it could be a run or batch # you are seeing. bob


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## digger mcdirt (Oct 25, 2008)

I just pulled a restrike come up and looked at it and yes the # is near the bottom on it about 1 inch or a little more from edge. That will be your date the # on the left.


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## Eric (Oct 27, 2008)

Yeah... you have to really watch these... There are some of these that are even heay glass
 without the ridges along the bottom... with heavy embossing. but these new one always have the small lettering on the bottom and are usually thinner glass... the cap should also give it away as it isn't corked line (unless they use a NOS cap) 
 But hey! if you collect WashingtonDC bottles you got one and didn't get hurt on it... I'm sure
 these bottles will become collectable to.


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## bamascavenger (Oct 29, 2008)

http://www.antiquebottles.com/coke/
 use this link, scroll down to the christmas cokes and it shows how easy it is to spot a fake from the bottom, it does not have the ridges. i think i have a very mint 39 and a have 85 i'll show them to see the differences.


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