An early Coca-Cola chewing gum sign from 1903 is the highlight of a sale of advertising memorabilia taking place at Morphy's Premier Advertising and Coin Op auction on October 4-5. The sign, which carries an estimate of $20,000-30,000, is embossed on enamelled cardboard.
Dan Morphy, CEO of Morphy Auctions, commented: "It's the actual example shown in Petretti's price guide. It's a rare find, especially in such nice condition."
 The sign is featured in Petretti's price guide |
It is rare for advertising dating from around the early 1900s to survive in good condition, and signs of this quality often change hands for large sums. In 2011 a Coca-Cola lithograph sign dating from 1896 sold for $105,000.
A number of coin op arcade machines are also featured and include a pre-1900 Puck 5-cent upright slot with an estimate of $18,000-22,000, and a 5-cent Bullfrog upright slot valued at $25,000-30,000.
Both machines are in working order and were made by Caille Brothers, one of the earliest US slot machine manufacturers.
Machines built by Caille are popular collector's items - in 2008 a rare Venus slot sold for $225,000 at Showtime Auction Services.
Slots from this era were used in bars in much the same way as modern machines are used now - although they often paid out drinks and cigars rather than cash.
Elsewhere a Wurlitzer Model 81 on an original Mae West stand brings a high estimate of $15,000. Considered the most desirable of counter models, jukeboxes of this quality can perform well at auction. Last year an identical machine sold for $17,000 against a $10,000-15,000 estimate.
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