On the way to the train from the Met, I spotted this enormous collection of Coca Cola glass bottles on display in a small deli shop. Unique glass Coca Cola bottles lined up against the window was a fascinating sight for me. It’s very rare to even see Coca Cola not being served in a can.

The collection was pretty awesome. There were glass bottles from all over the world; from Kenya to Korea. There were bottles from holidays and seasons and bottles artfully decorated with sayings such as “Congrats!”. This collection sparked my curiosity. Is collecting these bottles a popular hobby?

It turns out it really is.

People have been collecting Coca Cola bottles for years and since it is a global company, it has impacted many people all around the world. People collect them because those bottles are intertwined with history and culture. They associate Coca Cola with happy get togethers like parties and family events. Coca Cola collector clubs (one heck of an alliteration) have been around ever since the 1960s to merge and show off impressive collections. There is also a place called World of Coke where the company showcases its giant collection in interactive exhibits.

There is no one person or group that owns the complete collection of Coca Cola bottles because the company has been around for years and has been producing different bottles including limited and commemorative ones all around the world. The collection in this small deli shop shows a small fragment of the entire Coca Cola collection but it connects history, culture, art, and most importantly, people from all over the world.