The Coca-Cola Vendo Bottle Decapper: A Rare Piece of History by Brad Cross

If you’re a fan of Coca-Cola or love collecting vintage items, you might have heard of the Coca-Cola Vendo Bottle Decapper. This unique vending machine from the late 1940s is a fascinating piece of history, and it’s super rare today. Let’s dive into what makes this machine so special!

What Is the Vendo Bottle Decapper?

The Coca-Cola Vendo Bottle Decapper was made in 1948 and 1949. It’s a big, heavy vending machine—standing 78 inches tall, 46 inches wide, and 19 inches deep, and weighing a whopping 825 pounds! What makes it stand out is how it worked. Instead of handing you a bottle, it opened a Coca-Cola bottle, poured the soda into a 6-ounce cup, and gave you the cup. You never even touched the bottle! It could hold 192 bottles, which is a lot of Coke for back then.

This machine came before the “pre-mix” dispensers we see today, where soda is mixed on the spot. Back in the late 1940s, this was a fancy way to serve Coke, but it was also very expensive to make. Because of the high cost, only 251 of these machines were ever sold. That’s why they’re so hard to find now.

Why Is It So Rare?

Today, it’s believed that only about 10 of these Vendo Bottle Decappers are still around. That’s incredibly rare for a vending machine! Since so few were made and even fewer have survived, collectors see it as a true gem. It’s not just a machine—it’s a piece of Coca-Cola history that shows how the company tried new ideas to serve their famous drink.

My Encounter with a Vendo Bottle Decapper

Back in 2017, I was offered one of these rare machines for sale. The price? A jaw-dropping $175,000! That’s a huge amount, but it shows just how valuable and sought-after these machines are to collectors. Owning one would be like owning a piece of Coca-Cola’s past, but at that price, it’s definitely a big investment.

Why Collectors Love It

The Vendo Bottle Decapper isn’t just cool because it’s old—it’s a snapshot of a time when Coca-Cola was experimenting with new ways to share their drink. Its size, unique design, and the fact that so few exist make it a dream item for collectors. Whether you love Coca-Cola, vintage machines, or just rare finds, this machine is something special.

If you ever get the chance to see one in person, take a moment to appreciate it. It’s more than just a vending machine—it’s a piece of history that poured countless cups of Coke in its day!