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 Richard Mix : Although most of what we do and collect is soda related, we are trying to expand into other areas of collectibles and are always looking for collections to buy (ANY collections of ANY type and size) … please let us know if you have any leads - finders fees are available!! We just bought a large comic book collection - over 90 comic auctions beginning !! 

Finally, don't forget the Springtime in Atlanta Coca-Cola Collectors convention here in Atlanta next month - April 16-19th. We will be posting a special reception for all our Ebay friends (YOU ARE INVITED) one evening during the event. A great chance for you to put ebay names with faces!!! During the reception, we will have a drawing for $250 worth of free bottles (a credit towards ebay bottle auctions after April 20th that can be used just like cash!!!). If the winner is present at the reception, they will receive an extra $100 worth of bottles. Each buyer of any bottle we sell between January 30th and April 15th will be in the drawing - one time each for every bottle bought - THE MORE YOU BUY THE MORE YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!! If you need more details on Springtime, please let us know. We will also be launching the ultimate bottle website (bottleworld.com) at the convention!!! … get ready!!

Look for more updates and a special bottle offer >> Check it out!

From Cindy Moos : I am looking for a Buckeye Root Beer ceramic container with a male mermaid for the handle.

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

Mountain Dew lovers and soft drink variety seekers are in for an exciting summer. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, Pepsi-Cola North America will offer Mountain Dew LiveWire, an orange-ignited new Dew, to consumers across the United States. Combining the unique citrus taste of Mountain Dew with a bold orange flavor, Mountain Dew LiveWire initially will be available in 20-ounce plastic bottles, with plans to expand into two-liter plastic bottles and 12-packs of 12-ounce aluminum cans. Containing the same base ingredients and caffeine levels as core Mountain Dew, orange-ignited LiveWire is Mountain Dew's third line extension since the introduction of Diet Mountain Dew in 1988.

Douglas Daft the chairman of Coca-Cola has frozen his own US$1.5m salary and acquired no restricted stock awards or long-term incentive packages for 2002. However he did receive a bonus of US$4m, which is a rise of 14% from his 2001 bonus of US$3.5m. Coke's share price has fallen around 24% since Daft took over in 2000. Also, no long-term compensation was awarded in the form of stock options for the year to Daft or other key executives, such as newly appointed president Steve Heyer, because of unachieved growth performance in unit case volume and average operating profit for a three-year period. 

A US$1m grant being given by Coca-Cola Co., to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, has sparked controversy. Critics say accepting the donation from the soft drinks producer will cause a conflict of interest for the group, given that consumption of carbonated soft drinks is often cited as a prime cause of tooth decay in children. The group said that the grant would go towards supporting research and that Coca-Cola would not be able to dictate the kind of research it is funding or its outcomes. 

Nestle India has entered the Indian flavored milk market, launching its Fruit 'n Milk line in Delhi, Mumbai (Bombay) and Pune. The product has mango and strawberry flavors, priced at Rupees 15 (US$0.31) for a 200 ml pack and is being manufactured for Nestle by Dynamix. The multinational already sells pasteurized and UHT milk in India and will fight Britannia, Parle Agro and Mother Dairy for flavored milk sales.

The Jim Beam Brands, the drinks division of Fortune Brands, has released details of the launch of its upcoming RTD brand Beam and Cola, which is set to be available in selected markets across the US on 1st May. Unlike Smirnoff Ice and a number of other RTDs in the US, which are malt-based, Beam and Cola will contain its parent brand Jim Beam. And the company appears keen to market this point heavily. 

Beginning May 1, Beam and Cola will be available in Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Texas. These seven states were chosen for initial distribution because they make up one-third of the core brand's sales. Jim Beam also said it was exploring opportunities to expand distribution of Beam and Cola in 2004. Beam and Cola has already been available in Australia for more than a decade where it has proven to be successful. 

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

From Dan Holt : Your article (FYI) on Pep Up said they were from San Antonio and all that is available for collectors is green bottles. I have a clear glass ACL Pep Up bottle from 1953, Dragon Bottling, San Antonio. Details of the Pep Up: Red and White ACL, 15 oz, "A Fresh Bright Taste" on the back, as well as "Largest Bottle For 5 cents".

Also, do you have any information on a 4% brand. John Scheu & Son, Detroit MI. Green bottle, 7 oz. It looks like beer bottle on front, but contains no alcohol. Also says "the Perfect Soft Drink" on back. Age: mid 40's. I can't find this bottle online. Info: E-mail: 4 Percent brand info.

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

The Third Annual Convention of the French Coca-Cola Collectors Club will be held in Avignon the 29th and 30th of March, 2003. For more information, contact Michel Houche, E-mail : michelhouche@wanadoo.fr 

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.

Branson: Fall Fever in the Ozarks October 23 - 25, 2003, at the Settle Inn Branson, MO
Arkansas & Oklahoma's Green Country Chapters will be co-sponsoring the first ever Coca-Cola event in Branson. For information email Ken: beartul@earthlink.net 

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

Chero-Cola 1918 lithographed calendar, complete. Sold on eBay, January 31, 2003 for $2607.57.
Sent by Michael Elling, Sharon, Tennessee

Regarding the recent win of the $2607.57, 1918 Chero-Cola calendar, there was some competition from "crossovers" who were bidding for the model, a young actress named Ruth Roland, who is shown driving behind the wheel of her own automobile, the ultimate liberation for 1918, as this is before the right to vote. Ruth successfully made the transition from silent film into talkies, and played roles of independent women who had an affect on things.

The winner of the calendar, James Hall, determined to buy this one in lieu of his failure to win a Nehi calendar in a previous auction. He said his Chero-Cola calendar collection was lacking, so he felt just having the opportunity to buy one of this vintage may be a one-time chance. That may be a proper position to take.

Here is a copy of the note sent to me from James Hall, Phenix City, AL: 

Mike,
I will be glad to add this to my collection. In the 10 years that I have been collecting Chero-Cola, this is the first one that I know of that has come on the market. Unfortunately, I still have several more Chero calendars to go. I am still looking for about five more years. I would also like the have all the Nehi calendars, as I am pretty weak in that department.

I have the 1918 hand fan that matches the calendar and have always liked it. The movie star driving a car seems the forebode the spirit of approaching 1920's as well as the progressive attitude of the company. I still regret missing the 1934 Nehi calendar on Ebay last year. That made me a little more determined not to miss this one too.

James Hall

Then, in an auction ending February 27th, 2003, a 1915 Chero-Cola lithograph advertisement brought $1080.02.

From the description: It is signed "Copyright 1915 By The Chero - Cola Co. - American Lithographic Co. N.Y." There are several photos with the auction, which shows all details of the lithograph.

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