The world's largest private collection of Coca-Cola memorabilia (80,000 items in 32,000 square feet to be exact) is currently being auctioned off. Every last piece dedicated to the classic soda from a 1949 toy Coca-Cola truck valued at $2,500 to a soda fountain worth upwards of $125,000 is to be sold.
The collection is part of the Schmidt family's Schmidt Museum of Coca-Cola Memorabilia. The family announced they are going to close the museum, and sell every last item through a series of auctions, donating all of the proceeds to a charity of the Schmidts' choice.
Coca-Cola has been in the family since 1901 when Frederick Schmidt became only the fifth bottle of the beverage in the country in Louisville, Ky. After a storied history and multiple family member involvement, the collection officially started when Bill and Jan Schmidt needed some brand-inspired decorations for the bottling company in Elizabethtown, Ky in 1972. The decorations grew into an obsession and the museum was officially opened to the public in 1977.
After 35 years, the museum is closing its doors. The next auction will be March 24 and 25 at the museum in Elizabethtown, Ky.Click through below for a slideshow of some of the items up for grabs:
Watch a video of one of the outdoor signs to be auctioned: