How to Buy Pepsi Collectibles

In the late 1890s, North Carolina drugstore owner and pharmacist Caleb Davis Bradham mixed up a soda fountain concoction that became a hit. His customers called it "Brad's Drink," but Bradham named it Pepsi Cola. More than a century later, it's still going strong.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Pepsi Collectibles

1. Acquaint yourself with Pepsi's history. From a tiny pharmacy in North Carolina, this concoction of kola nut extract, vanilla and rare oils weathered crises such as the sugar shortage of 1919 and emerged to become Coke's leading challenger - second in the soft-drink world.
2. Immerse yourself in the world of Pepsi memorabilia. When their product became a national success, Pepsi produced an array of commercial, advertising and promotional objects that are much sought after by collectors today.
3. Investigate the financial side of collecting. There are many categories of Pepsi collectibles - from calendars to uniform patches - and prices vary significantly according to rarity and condition.
4. Look before you leap if you've got an eye on future values. This is a popular and very well-established collectible category, and buyers and sellers tend to know their stuff.
5. Collect because you love Pepsi - or just because you always root for the underdog.

Tips & Warnings

• Ralph Roberts' new history, "The Pepsi Challenge: From 12 Full Ounces to a New Generation, 100 Years of Pepsi History," will be published by Alexander Books in January 2000.