I had recently posted about a recent trip where we found a lot of old bottles. There seemed to be interest in the subject, so I put together a video showing all the old bottles. Some had labels still on, while others had manufacturing marks on the bottom. All quite interesting, but I have not spent any time learning about bottles since they are so rare when we go underground.
Abby Normal
"Government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem." Ronald Reagan
I've recovered lots of old bottles while SCUBA diving in rivers & some lakes, and would love to sell them off as they're just taking-up space now.
Age itself doesn't seem to be a primary factor in value -- despite being relatively frail glass, most soda & beer bottles were produced in such quantities that even if only 10% survive intact today, that could still be tens or hundreds of thousands of 'em & there's a limited collector market.
The more valuable ones seem to be from businesses that didn't last long or had a pretty small market, plus any blue glass.
It's kinda hard to research values on them, but last time I tried to do some research, one that I found just a few feet off-shore in the Detroit River was worth about $100 at the time, because it was a small brewery that used some weird top/cap design.
Milk, perfume & medicine bottles also can be worth some $$ & like with most collecting hobbies, can have people that specialize in just one type.
I dunno if you're recovering them from an abandoned mine left them alone & are just curious, but about the only thing I've found to do, which I've not done yet because I'm just lazy, is get a table at an annual bottle & glassware trade show in Vegas & offer them for sale, pulling a bluff & scoffing at every initial offer someone may give me.
Another thing to try is to post them on FleaBay & let the market decide what they're worth.
/-/oolie
[last edit 5/24/2023 10:48 PM by /-/ooligan - edited 1 times] There are no stupid questions, just stupid people.
Posted by /-/ooligan I've recovered lots of old bottles while SCUBA diving in rivers & some lakes, and would love to sell them off as they're just taking-up space now.
Age itself doesn't seem to be a primary factor in value -- despite being relatively frail glass, most soda & beer bottles were produced in such quantities that even if only 10% survive intact today, that could still be tens or hundreds of thousands of 'em & there's a limited collector market.
The more valuable ones seem to be from businesses that didn't last long or had a pretty small market, plus any blue glass.
It's kinda hard to research values on them, but last time I tried to do some research, one that I found just a few feet off-shore in the Detroit River was worth about $100 at the time, because it was a small brewery that used some weird top/cap design.
Milk, perfume & medicine bottles also can be worth some $$ & like with most collecting hobbies, can have people that specialize in just one type.
I dunno if you're recovering them from an abandoned mine left them alone & are just curious, but about the only thing I've found to do, which I've not done yet because I'm just lazy, is get a table at an annual bottle & glassware trade show in Vegas & offer them for sale, pulling a bluff & scoffing at every initial offer someone may give me.
Another thing to try is to post them on FleaBay & let the market decide what they're worth.
/-/oolie
Thanks for taking time to respond! I suspect that the vast majority of these are pretty well worthless from a monetary standpoint, although I love seeing them in this old mine. There might be an interesting bottle or two hidden away if someone looked hard enough. We left all of them right where they were for others to enjoy if they can find their way into this 'lost' level. (I think some folks are going to be trying pretty soon.) More than anything I am curious about what we were seeing since Tony nor I have a clue about bottles.
Abby Normal
"Government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem." Ronald Reagan
Ethics
(I think some folks are going to be trying pretty soon.) More than anything I am curious about what we were seeing since Tony nor I have a clue about bottles. 