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Item Specifics
- Brand: Pepsi-Cola
- Year: 1976 (Stamped June 1976 on base)
- Theme: Soda, Pop, Advertising, Commemorative
- Material: Glass (Gold-Painted Coating)
- Volume: 1 Liter
- Item Height: 12.75 inches
- Original/Reproduction: Original
- Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
Item DescriptionUp for sale is an authentic June 1976 Pepsi-Cola Gold 1-Liter Limited Collectors Edition Glass Bottle.HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE & THE GLASS-TO-PLASTIC TRANSITION:
This iconic bottle holds a fascinating place in beverage history, capturing the exact multi-layered transition era of the mid-1970s. It was manufactured specifically to commemorate a monumental milestone: the massive industry shift from traditional U.S. fluid quart glass bottles over to the international metric liter size. Because regional bottling plants had to completely overhaul and destroy their existing returnable glass quart inventory during this shift, Pepsi released these special gold-painted glass editions to mark the historic milestone.Crucially, this bottle represents the final golden era of large-scale glass packaging. At the exact same time this metric shift was happening in 1976, beverage companies were heavily testing early plastic prototypes to reduce transit weight and eliminate shattering hazards, which ultimately led to the global rollout of the 2-liter PET plastic bottle in 1978. This item is a beautiful commemorative farewell to traditional heavy glass. Original versions of this item were famously distributed to employees and select accounts inside a protective red velvet drawstring bag.A HIGHLY UNIQUE TRIPLE-BRANDING TIME CAPSULE:
What makes this specific piece exceptionally rare and collectible is that it serves as a literal \"then-and-now\" history timeline of Pepsi\'s identity, featuring three distinct variations of the company\'s logos utilized simultaneously across its design. While standard mass-produced retail packaging strictly required uniform corporate branding, this commemorative release deliberately showcases the following:
- The \"PEPSI\" Block Variation (Front): Features the modern 1970s block font displaying just the single word \"PEPSI\" centered inside the minimalist circular globe design.
- The \"PEPSI-COLA\" Block Variation (Alternate Side): Features the exact same 1970s modern block formatting and globe layout on the opposite side, but intentionally spells out the full \"PEPSI-COLA\" name. During the 1970s, the company was transitioning away from the word \"Cola\" on retail shelves, but they preserved it here to honor the brand\'s complete name.
- The Classic Cursive Script (Lower Base): The scripted typography wrapping near the lower portion utilizes Pepsi\'s historic flowing cursive script from its early 20th-century roots, complete with the vintage elongated swirls and hyphen connection.
By combining the legacy cursive roots with both co-existing variants of the modern 1970s block identity on a single bottle, Pepsi created an incredible, intentional visual archive for this milestone metric rollout.DIMENSIONS AND MARKINGS:
- Height: Measures approximately 12.75 inches tall.
- Base Markings: Stamped \"6 - 76\" on the bottom base, indicating a June 1976 manufacturing date during the celebratory production run.
- Scripted Text near base reads: \"Original One Liter Pepsi-Cola USA Limited Collectors Edition **** April 1976 ****\"
CONDITION DETAILS:
- Physical Condition: The item has some cosmetic wear. There is minor surface aging, scuff marks, and paint wear/rubbing consistent with a 50-year-old vintage collectible. Please inspect all high-resolution photos closely for the exact physical condition.
- Contents: This is an empty bottle. The original red velvet drawstring bag and bottle cap are not included.
This makes a perfect centerpiece for vintage soda advertising displays, Pepsi completionists, or mid-century pop culture collectors.