How To Date Old Coke Bottles

Look for the flat footed tail.

How to date old coke bottles. Bottles made in 1909 are dated on the heel with 9 separate from the model or type number. From then on all root bottles are marked a two digit date code as well as a four digit numerical code on the heel figure 2. On coke bottles the heel numbers only begin in the low 300s. This will be shallower wider and more perfectly circular than a pontil mark.

This is important as we shall soon see. There are so many bottle variations it can be difficult to tell the age or value of a bottle. You should observe the style of coca cola trademark. Bottles with suction scars were made in an owens automatic bottle machine and date after 1903.

Look for a suction scar on the base. The shape of coke bottles is also unique. After many years of bottle digging and collecting. Old bottle identification and dating guide.

Click download from the bottom of the screen and select open. Check for the manufacturers mark. I was told that the numbers on the right side of the coke are the date however that doesnt add up. Bottle dating is approximate and just intended to give a relative placement in bottle making history.

The style of this trademark is tall and thin. Raised embossing and when present paper labeling on a bottle can frequently provide important details to refine the probable manufacturing date range if information exists for the company that either manufactured the bottle ie glassmaker marks or had the bottle made for them ie the buyer user of the finished bottle. Compare the coke bottle you are trying to get more information about with the coke bottles on screen. My research says that hobble skirts were made in and after 1915 however the one i pictured says 02 which i presume to be 1902 which isnt possible to my knowledge anyhelp would be appreciated on this.

The owens machine revolutionized the bottle industry. This webpage is intended to help novice collectors and non collectors better identify describe and date the bottles they encounter. This will open a new window containing an image of the various types of coke bottles in use over the years as well as the dates they were released.