GUEST: Well, this is a sign that I found quite a few years ago in a very old ramshackled house that was vine-covered. And for some reason, it appealed to me. I just went in to see what might be sitting there. And here is what was sitting there. But you can see it's had a hard life. It's been shot at and stabbed. And I know nothing about it, but I'm very attracted to it.
APPRAISER: Coca-Cola collectibles are probably some of the hottest collectibles that are available. Back in 1886, when Coca-Cola was invented in Atlanta, Georgia, they would mix the syrup with water. Somebody mixed soda water with it. Now Coca-Cola, how it actually got its name is it had the cola from the African kola nut and the coca leaves. So there was a minor amount of cocaine that actually was in there. This sign is probably one of the earliest and rarest Coca-Cola signs that ever was produced.
GUEST: Oh my.
APPRAISER: This is a pressed tin and lithographic decorated sign. A lot of the signs from the late 19th century are actually a cardboard sign. This one isn't, which makes it very rare and unusual. Even though it has a lot of damage to it, this is one of those collectibles that a Coca-Cola collector would probably give his eyeteeth for, because there are so few of them out there. You just keep it wrapped up in your house. Do you hang it in your house at all?
GUEST: No, I keep it wrapped up and I keep it in a room that has a dehumidifier in it so it doesn't rust anymore.
APPRAISER: This sign, even in this condition, I would not be afraid to give you an auction estimate of $5,000 to $7,000. And at a good auction when you had two Coca-Cola collectors that wanted this bad, wouldn't surprise me if it even went higher. This sign in pristine condition sold not long ago at an auction for $42,000.
GUEST: Oh, my goodness.
