How do I know if my old bottles are worth anything?

The Age of the Bottle

While not all old bottles are valuable, an older bottle is more likely to be worth more than a newer one. Seams and pontil marks are two of the ways you can determine a bottle's age. The pontil mark is the mark at the bottom of the bottle where it was attached to the glass blower's pontil rod.

How do I identify an old bottle?

The embossed maker's mark or letters on the side of a bottle or on the base of a bottle will help to reveal a bottle's age. Marks or letters on collectible milk bottles and Coca Cola bottles are commonly indicators of age and origin.

What do the numbers on the bottom of an old bottle mean?

In most cases, one- or two-digit numbers are actually mold numbers that indicate the specific bottle mold or section in an automatic bottle machine. If numerous molds were identical, each one received its own number. Base numbers also indicate bottle styles or shapes, manufacturing dates, or factory location codes.

What kind of glass bottles are worth money?

Colored glass is typically more valuable than clear glass; in fact, a colored glass bottle can easily be worth $1,000 or more than the same bottle featuring clear glass.

What can I do with old glass bottles?

Antique Bottle Basics

How do I identify my bottle manufacturer?

Find the Markings

The side of the bottle may be printed with the product or manufacturer's name, and this can be helpful in identifying your find. Also turn the bottle over. Many bottles have marks on the bottom, and these are important signatures of bottle manufacturers.

What is the number on the bottom of glass?

Many bottles have numbers on the base. These marks can be used to identify a mold in a glass factory. A number of the same molds would be serially numbered, such as 1 to 12.

How can you tell how old glass is?

Are old milk bottles worth money?

Before you buy or sell a milk bottle, it helps to know how much it's worth. These bottles can range from about $10 to $200 or more, depending on a number of factors.

What is a pontil mark on a bottle?

A pontil mark is a variable size and type of scar or roughage left on the base of a bottle by a pontil rod. A typical pontil rod (aka ponty, punty or punte) was a long (4-6 feet) rod which was securely attached to the base of the just blown hot bottle (Trowbridge 1870).

How can you tell how old a brown glass bottle is?

What does the L on the bottom of a glass mean?

(1888-to date) The “cursive L” trademark is frequently seen embossed on the bases of various tableware items, especially tumblers and other drinking glasses, barware, wine glasses and stemware for home use as well as commercial and institutional use.

What does Depression glass look like?

Depression glass, which was made during the great depression, usually came in bright colors, like yellow, amber, blue, green, or pink. It was always patterned and often had geometric shapes and designs cut into it. Due to low production costs, the glass should look and feel thin.

Does vintage glass have seams?

If you examine a piece of pressed glass you will always find either two, three or four seams running through the glass, although sometimes the seams were well hidden in the pattern. The number of mold lines in a piece of glass does not determine the age.

What does 3 mean on glass?

Finally, the third number is a three-digit number that is 140, which represents the temple length. It is the length of the stems of the frame that rests upon your ears. It can be measured from the frame hinge to the end tip of the temple. The range of the temple length in most cases varies from 120 mm to 150 mm.

What does R mean on glass?

R-value measures the performance of a specific material, like insulation, to reduce the transfer of heat. We know that the R-value measures heat resistance, but that implies more than is obvious at first glance. The measure of heat resistance of the glass is implies a measure of. Glass energy efficiency.

What does the number 2 mean on the bottom of glass?

Number 1 - PETE - Poly(ethylene terephthalate): Soda bottles, water bottles, cooking oil bottles, and medicine containers. Number 2 - HDPE - High-density Polyethylene: Containers for: laundry/dish detergent, milk, shampoo, conditioner, also various toys, and grocery bags.

WHAT DOES A or B mean on the bottle?

Urine samples routinely are split into two bottles, the “A” bottle and the “B” bottle. If the “A” bottle generates a positive result, the “B” bottle is tested. Amazingly, the “B” bottle doesn't have to independently show a violation.

How do you date an old whiskey bottle?

Most bottle manufacturers molded the year into the glass at the bottom of the bottle in 2-digit format. You'll often find it in the lower right portion when looking at the bottom (some dates are much easier to distinguish than others). This will usually tell you–within a year or two–when the whiskey was bottled.

How old are blob top bottles?

Dating Summary/Notes: The blob-top style soda/mineral water bottles appear to have originated in the early 1840s and were quite popular by 1850 (Markota 1994).

What are empty beer bottles worth?

All containers, from 100 millilitres to two litres in size, will be eligible for the deposit — including those made of metal, plastic or glass. Wine and spirit bottles can be exchanged for $0.25 each. Other bottles will receive $0.10.

What can you do with old liquor bottles?