Emptied (but Unopened) Can of Genuine Russian Coca-Cola from Novgorod, Russia. Promoting the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) “Euro 2012” (Soccer) Tournament Sponsored by Poland and the Ukraine.
NOTE: This offering is for ONE collectible can. It is NOT for a six-pack. NOT for a 12 pack. NOT for a truckload. It is for ONE collectible can, as stated.
DETAIL: Just back from Russia, a number of my friends, die-hard Coca-Cola collectors, asked me to bring back hard-to-find cans of limited edition packaging of Russian Coca-Cola. Here is one such example, a can promoting the “Euro 2012” Soccer (or “Football” as it is known in Europe) Tournament of the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations). The tournament was hosted/sponsored by Poland and the Ukraine. There are three panels to the can, the primary one being a soccer ball “holding” a bottle of Coca-Cola. Off to one side is the UEFA logo and the words “Euro2012” and “Poland-Ukraine Official Sponsor”. To the top are three words written in Cyrillic which translate to “receive wonderful prizes”. When the consumer lifted the special red colored tab, a number is visible beneath. Taken to a special promotional website, that number could be redeemable for a prize.
The second panel is simply a large “Coca-Cola”, in the familiar trademarked English script running vertically up the can. The third panel is the bottling information, written in Cyrillic (“Russian”). The can is unopened, in very good condition, no big dents or big scratches, just the normal minor marks of distribution through the retail chain. Coca-Cola is popular in Russia, but expensive. It is three times the cost of locally-produced indigenous brands. A can of coca-cola such as this costs a bank teller (for example) the equivalent of two hours wages. Nonetheless Coca-Cola and Pepsi are engaged in a spirited battle for the loyalty of those Russian consumers who can afford their product. For those of you who collect Coca-Cola cans, this is a very uncommon variation in excellent condition.
Many collectors ask for empty cans. The normal procedure is to drill a hole at the bottom of the can. This can however was not intentionally emptied, it developed a pin-hole leak. We cannot even find the pin hole! But it’s there somewhere, and consequentially the can is empty though of course it still looks full, it’s still sealed, but it is empty of contents. It is cleaned, and ready to ship, albeit carefully packaged as an empty soda can is actually very fragile and susceptible to damage. Again, it is unopened, but empty.
Russian Coca-Cola cans are much in demand, and given the low numbers of tourists to Russia, are one of the more difficult types to procure. Bottled in Novgorod, a large city on the famous Volga River, this can was purchased in Siberia…at the end of a very long and slow distribution chain (for instance, “Christmas Pickles” arrived in Siberia in February). Nonetheless, despite the challenges of infrastructure and a product three times more costly than locally produced soda beverages, Pepsi and Coca-Cola slug it out in Siberia just as aggressively as they do in Detroit, Los Angeles, Chicago, or New York. And here’s a great little souvenir of “war” in Russia circa 2012.
SHIPPING & RETURNS/REFUNDS: Shipping empty cans is a bit tricky, as they have to be boxed and heavily padded, otherwise they will be crushed. So the cost of shipping virtually weightless empty cans might be a bit higher than you might imagine – in essence you’re paying to ship a box, not the can. Domestic shipping is $7.49 for first class mail, $10.49 for Priority Mail. Domestic rates include USPS Delivery Confirmation. Canadian shipments are $17.99 for Air Mail or $34.99 for Global Priority Mail. All other International shipments are $24.99 for Air Mail, $48.99 for Global Priority Mail. Your purchase will ordinarily be shipped within 48 hours of payment. We package as well as anyone in the business, with lots of protective padding and containers.
All of our shipments are fully insured against loss, and our shipping rates include the cost of this coverage (through stamps.com, Shipsaver.com, the USPS, UPS, or Fed-Ex). International tracking is provided free by the USPS for certain countries, other countries are at additional cost. Please note for international purchasers we will do everything we can to minimize your liability for VAT and/or duties. But we cannot assume any responsibility or liability for whatever taxes or duties may be levied on your purchase by the country of your residence. If you don’t like the tax and duty schemes your government imposes, please complain to them. We have no ability to influence or moderate your country’s tax/duty schemes.
ADDITIONAL PURCHASES do receive a VERY LARGE discount (postal costs for additional empty cans from the third onward typically only cost $1 each for both domestic and international shipping). We do offer U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail, Registered Mail, and Express Mail for both international and domestic shipments, as well United Parcel Service (UPS) and Federal Express (Fed-Ex). Please ask for a rate quotation.
If upon receipt of the item you are disappointed for any reason whatever, I offer a no questions asked 30-day return policy. Send it back, I will give you a complete refund of the purchase price; 1) less our original shipping/insurance costs, 2) less non-refundable eBay payment processing fees. Please note that eBay does NOT refund payment processing fees. Even if you “accidentally” purchase something and then cancel the purchase before it is shipped, eBay will not refund their processing fees. So all refunds for any reason, without exception, do not include eBay payment processing fees (typically between 5% and 15%) and shipping/insurance costs (if any). If you’re unhappy with eBay’s “no fee refund” policy, and we are EXTREMELY unhappy, please voice your displeasure by contacting eBay. We have no ability to influence, modify or waive eBay policies.
ABOUT US: Prior to our retirement we used to travel to Europe and Central Asia several times a year. Most of the items we offer came from acquisitions we made in Eastern Europe, India, and from the Levant (Eastern Mediterranean/Near East) during these years from various institutions and dealers. Much of what we generate on Etsy, Amazon and Ebay goes to support The Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, as well as some other worthy institutions in Europe and Asia connected with Anthropology and Archaeology. Though we have a collection of ancient coins numbering in the tens of thousands, our primary interests are ancient jewelry and gemstones. Prior to our retirement we traveled to Russia every year seeking antique gemstones and jewelry from one of the globe’s most prolific gemstone producing and cutting centers, the area between Chelyabinsk and Yekaterinburg, Russia. From all corners of Siberia, as well as from India, Ceylon, Burma and Siam, gemstones have for centuries gone to Yekaterinburg where they have been cut and incorporated into the fabulous jewelry for which the Czars and the royal families of Europe were famous for.
My wife grew up and received a university education in the Southern Urals of Russia, just a few hours away from the mountains of Siberia, where alexandrite, diamond, emerald, sapphire, chrysoberyl, topaz, demantoid garnet, and many other rare and precious gemstones are produced. Though perhaps difficult to find in the USA, antique gemstones are commonly unmounted from old, broken settings – the gold reused – the gemstones recut and reset. Before these gorgeous antique gemstones are recut, we try to acquire the best of them in their original, antique, hand-finished state – most of them centuries old. We believe that the work created by these long-gone master artisans is worth protecting and preserving rather than destroying this heritage of antique gemstones by recutting the original work out of existence. That by preserving their work, in a sense, we are preserving their lives and the legacy they left for modern times. Far better to appreciate their craft than to destroy it with modern cutting.
Not everyone agrees – fully 95% or more of the antique gemstones which come into these marketplaces are recut, and the heritage of the past lost. But if you agree with us that the past is worth protecting, and that past lives and the produce of those lives still matters today, consider buying an antique, hand cut, natural gemstone rather than one of the mass-produced machine cut (often synthetic or “lab produced”) gemstones which dominate the market today. We can set most any antique gemstone you purchase from us in your choice of styles and metals ranging from rings to pendants to earrings and bracelets; in sterling silver, 14kt solid gold, and 14kt gold fill. When you purchase from us, you can count on quick shipping and careful, secure packaging. We would be happy to provide you with a certificate/guarantee of authenticity for any item you purchase from us. There is a $3 fee for mailing under separate cover. I will always respond to every inquiry whether via email or eBay message, so please feel free to write.
