From Blair Matthews, Editor of Soda Pop Dreams Magazine : For the month of March, I am doing a special for new subscribers to subscribe to Soda Pop Dreams Magazine for only $14.95 US funds with PayPal at the website.. This is a cool savings of $6 off the regular subscription price. Don't miss out!

From MikeCoke@collector.org : I have a Silver Jubilee Souvenir bottle 1952-1977, Scotland and Northern Limited. I have put together some pics of the bottle << here >>. I got this bottle from a gentleman in England that worked for Coca-Cola during the 1970s - 80s. The bottle is listed in the 1995 Richard Mix Guide, with a value of $300-$375. E-mail me an offer.

From Howard : I have some of the hard-to-find bottles. If anyone is looking for a specific bottle, let me know. Also, I have available: 2002 President Club, 2002 McDonald's Hispanic Owners, 2002 Happy Holiday from Worldwide Licensing, 2002 Frist Tee, 2002 Orlando Truck Rodeo and 2002 Hispanic Cacus. E-mail me.

Richard Mix has many good, and hard-to-get, bottles up for grabs at eBay. Check it out!

From Jeff Cummins : I am looking for the following 7up commemorative bottles to complete my collection: Bob Williams Retiree, Mike Hogan Retiree, and Superstars Two Man Tag Team Wrestling. All three are 16oz, and from the 1970s. The Williams and Hogan bottles came out of Columbus, Ohio and saluted longtime employees. The Wrestling bottle is from 1977. Thanks

Do you have a particular item, or items, that you have been looking for a long time to complete part of your collection, or something you want - but have not as yet been able to find? Send it so all of us can help you look. You never know where it may turn up! E-mail it to My Missing Item

Anyone near Tullahoma, Tennessee ? They want to start a Pepsi Chapter!! Contact Greg at everythingpepsi@charter.net

The Coca-Cola Company announced its plans to launch a tropical flavor soft drink, named Sprite Remix. This new Sprite flavor will be available in late spring in the U.S.

Top 10 U.S. Brands in 2002
According to Beverage Digest, the top 10 carbonated beverage brands in the U.S. are:

Coca-Cola will be sponsoring the 2004 Summer Olympics Torch Relay in Athens Greece. The torch route will include all of the host cities of the Summer Olympics since 1896: Athens, Paris, St. Louis, London, Stockholm, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, Berlin, Helsinki, Melbourne, Rome, Tokyo, Mexico City, Munich, Montreal, Moscow, Seoul, Barcelona, Atlanta, and Sydney . The torch run will include 10,000 torchbearers over 35 days. 

Cheered by a rowdy mascot, Dr Pepper/Seven Up announced the creation of Raging Cow a new milk-based product served cold in single servings, with an array of five alluring flavors. Packaged in plastic bottles, Raging Cow will appear in selected markets beginning in early March, eventually expanding to national distribution. Consumer testing confirmed for Dr Pepper/Seven Up that people want new, exciting dairy drink products. "With flavors such as Piña Colada Chaos, Jamocha Frenzy, Berry Mixed Up, Chocolate Caramel Craze and Chocolate Insanity, Raging Cow has something for everyone.

Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc. has also announced that it has entered into a strategic alliance with eBay, to develop a comprehensive marketing platform for brands such as Dr Pepper, 7 Up, Sunkist, A&W Root Beer and Canada Dry. In an effort to forge stronger relationships with consumers, DP/7Up will work with eBay to develop an extended loyalty program, advertise brand news within the eBay community and drive trial sampling of new products.

DP/7Up products, including 7Up, Sunkist Orange Soda, dnL, A&W Root Beer and Canada Dry, will be given special codes that can be redeemed for points on www.LiquidLoot.com.. The points are deposited into Liquid Loot accounts where consumers can then use the points to bid on special prizes and awards in an auction-style process. In addition to select Dr Pepper/Seven Up merchandise, consumers will be able to bid on a variety of special music and entertainment-related items, such as CDs, concert tickets and other prizes. 

As another part of the loyalty program, consumers will receive e-mail updates informing them of new items up for bid, current DPr/7Up promotions and their point standings. Consumers also will be able to receive electronic coupons that will offer them the opportunity to sample new Dr Pepper/Seven Up products as well as their favorite soft drink brands.

Dr Pepper, known for its originality and individuality, will team this summer with pop culture icons who share those traits – the X-Men, stars of comic books, animation and 2000's blockbuster summer movie hit. Dr Pepper joins Twentieth Century Fox for the movie release of X2, the next chapter in the X-Men movie franchise, in theaters May 2, 2003. The promotion's starring attraction will be the chance to instantly win $100,000 by looking under the cap of specially-marked 20-ounce bottles or on game pieces inside specially-marked 12- and 24-packs. Additional prizes include movie tickets and 12-packs of Dr Pepper products. Also, Dr Pepper will release commemorative cans that feature images of X2 movie characters, and customers can redeem 12 specially-marked Dr Pepper X2 20-ounce labels to receive an exclusive Dr Pepper/X2 T-shirt. The promotion will be supported with point-of-sale materials, promotion-specific television, print, and outdoor, as well as an X2 promotional Web site on www.drpepper.com. All promotional 12- and 24-packs will carry a next-purchase coupon.

New bottles or cans, or anything soda, in your area ?
Please send the info so all of us can know @ Whats New

Hi everyone, from sunny (warm and humid) Singapore!
I finally made it, with so many things to do once I got here - one of them moving! I hate moving! But now that it is over, I am glad to have it done with, plus the new place is great!

I suppose you noticed there was no newsletter last week. In the midst of packing, and finishing up the Spring issue of Bottles and Extras for the publishers, I just could not muster up the energy for it. Some of you missed it (me?) and mailed - I appreciate that. Thank you!

In the last issue, I had mentioned the snow situation in east Tennessee and its (possible) effect on my flight. Well, my apprehension was correct - we were stuck on the ground, due to ice, in Detroit for hours, which made basically the whole plane miss their connecting flights in Tokyo. So I got a free night at the Radisson Tokyo, compliments of Northwest Airlines, although I'd much rather have been home.

So, hopefully everything is back to normal now, and the Fizz will greet you each week as usual, on my behalf. Thank you for bearing with me.
Happy Collecting!

March 2 (Sunday) Madison, Wisconsin
Madison Antique Bottle & Advertising Show & Sale
(Sun 9am-3pm) at the Quality Inn South
4916 E. Broadway (Hwy 12-18 exit 12A), Madison, Wisconsin
Info: Bill Mitchell, 703 Linwood Ave., Stevens Point, WI 54481, Ph: 715-341-6860

March 2 (Sunday) Elsecar, England
British Bottle Review's Spring Bottle & Collectors Extravaganza
(Sun. 10 AM - 3 PM, early admission 8:30 AM) 
at the Elsecar Heritage Center, Building 21, Elsecar, England
Info: BBR, Elsecar Heritage Center, Barnsley, S. Yorks, England S74 8HJ
Ph: 011 44 1226 745156, E-mail: sales@bbrauctions.co.uk 

March 7 - 8 (Friday - Saturday) Chico, California
Bidwell Bottle Club's 37th Annual Show & Sale
(Sat. 9 AM - 4 PM, early admission Fri. Noon - 7 PM)
at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds, Chico, California
Info: Randy Taylor, Ph: 530-345-0519 evenings, 530-342-3131 days
E-mail: RTJARGUY@aol.com or Don Ayers, Ph: 530-891-4931

March 9 (Sunday) Tylersport, Pennsylvania
The 9th Annual Bucks-Monts Bottle Show & Sale
(Sun. 9 AM - 3 PM) at the Tylersport Fire Co., Route 563, Tylersport, Pennsylvania
Info: Claude A. Wambold, 1837 Perkiomenville Rd., Perkiomenville, PA 18074
Ph: 215-234-8413, E-mail: arlene@netcarrier.com 
or Gregory Gifford, 832 Clover Dr., North Wales, PA 19454, Ph: 215-699-5216

Great Lakes Chapter to TCCCC presents it's annual Coca Cola & Antique Advertising Show & Swap Meet March 9, 2003, from 9am - 2pm at the Livonia Elks Club, 31117 Plymouth Rd. Livonia, MI. Admission is $3 and there will be over 50 dealers with quality merchandise, as well as 100 + tables of collectibles both old and new. Directions : I-96 to Middlebelt Rd, South on Middlebelt Rd, turn right (West) on Plymouth Rd. Livonia Elk is on the south side of Plymouth Rd. Reserve your table now! This show is always a sell out!! For information or to reserve a space call Marlin Wilson at 989-692-0551 or E-mail : Cokesantalady@yahoo.com 

PEPSI FEST - Thursday, March 13th, 2003
<< Click here >> for full details of the show!

Springtime in Atlanta - April 16-19, 2003
at the Crowne Plaza, Atlanta, GA
For information, E-mail Karleen : GACOKE@aol.com 
Events will include: Regular Auction, Silent Auction, Swap Meet, Brunch & Banquet. 

Any new events  in your area? Mail so all of us can know, to: Upcoming Events

Hood's Sarsaparilla
Originating in Lowell, Massachusetts in the 1860s, Hood's was actually a medicinal product. Hoods did a lot of advertising in almanacs, coupons, trade cards, booklets, jigsaw puzzles and other novelties. Beginning in 1887, they produced a yearly calendar in advertising, featuring images of women and children which have become quite collectible.

Ayer's Sarsaparilla
Another beverage originating in Lowell, Massachusetts in the 1870s, Ayer's Sarsaparilla was also considered a medicinal product. Like Hood's, Ayer's also did a lot of advertising. Ayer's tin signs are rare and highly sought after, and there are also some good paper signs and interesting bottles. But the most common of all Ayer's advertising is the trade cards. Some are very interesting, and all are collectible.

B-1 Beverage Company
The B-1 Beverage Company started in 1940 in St. Louis, Missouri, producing a lemon-lime flavored soda made from a special formula blended with Vitamin B1, giving it its name. By 1942, B-1 had about fifty franchised bottlers. The soda was sold in 7-ounce bottles, and the company claimed that each bottle contained a minimum of 111 U.S.P. units of Vitamin B1. Besides the bottles themselves, which I have several examples in my own collection, there are tin signs and thermometers to collect.

Circle A Ginger Ale
In 1884, R. S. Lazenby of Waco Texas, introduced Circle A Ginger Ale, named after his cattle brand. Lazenby had aged his ginger ale in wooden casks for four years. In 1885, Lazenby joined with Wade Morrison to start the Artisan Manufacturing & Bottling Company, which bottled Dr. Pepper, as well as Circle A. 

By 1922, with increased interest in Dr. Pepper, the ginger ale business began to lose its fizz  The company ceased production of Circle A by 1940, in favor of its more popular product, and changed its name to the Dr. Pepper Company.  Good quality Circle A Ginger Ale advertising is not easy to find, however there are some nice paper-label bottles, signs and Vienna Art Plates. Circle A is also sought after by Dr. Pepper collectors for its tie with the brand. I have several Circle A bottles in my collection.

Dr. Swett's Root Beer
This other "Dr." originated in Boston, Massachusetts circa. 1845 as a local favorite with some interesting advertising. Beautiful syrup decanters and mugs are available. I have seen one example of a Dr. Sweet's mug, dug from a very deep hole. There are also pretty tin and glass signs, and the early Dr. Swett's advertising commands good prices among collectors.

Pep Up
The Dragon Bottling Company, a wholesale beverage manufacturer, was established in San Antonio, Texas, in 1915. In addition to bottling a local favorite, "Dragon" flavors, they also created "Pep Up". It was advertised as "The Largest Soda Water For A Nickel", but had limited success. The dark green bottles and some interesting tin signs are all that remain for the collector.

If you have a soda-related subject that you would like to see here as an "FYI" article, or have information you yourself would like to contribute, don't be shy, send it to: FYI Idea

Until next week, Happy Collecting! CokeGirl