How to Identify an Antique Pepsi Bottle

Antique glass bottles are highly collectible and a fun hobby to get into. Antique cola bottles have a special market all of their own, especially because most colas no longer come in glass bottles. Pepsi bottles are no exception. They are highly collectible and make a great addition to anyone's antique collection. However, you may be confused by some of the clever reproduction bottles that are available, so you'll have to keep an eye out for the real deal. Here is how to identify an antique Pepsi bottle.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Look at the brand name on the bottle. Pepsi's true name was Pepsi-Cola in 1903 and antique bottles will still bear the Pepsi-Cola name up until 1953.

2. Check out the label. Reproduction bottles will have a paper label, where antique bottles simply have the label blown into the glass.

3. Look through it if it is a brown Pepsi bottle. A true antique Pepsi bottle is made of glass so dark that you couldn't read a piece of paper through it if you held it behind the glass. Reproduction bottles are much lighter.

4. Measure the neck of the bottle. Real antique Pepsi bottles have smaller necks that those that made today. A simple side by side comparison should tell you whether or not it is a true antique.

5. Note whether or not the bottle says "Diet" on it. Diet Pepsi was not marketed until 1983, so if your bottle says "Diet" on it, it is clearly not an antique.