Those old Coke items can aid kids

Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2002 | 9:10 a.m.

The Everything Coca-Cola Store is holding a Coca-Cola Collectors Roadshow 12 to 3 p.m. March 9 to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Las Vegas.

Archivist Phil Mooney will offer expert appraisals on collectors' rarest Coca-Cola treasures. A silent auction, with proceeds going to the Boys & Girls Club, will offer patrons the opportunity to bid on Coca-Cola memorabilia.

The event will be held at the Everything Coca-Cola Store, 3785 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Guests can bring up to two items for appraisal.

"People around the world own Coca-Cola items that have been passed down through families or treasured since childhood," said Mooney, who has served as director of Coca-Cola's Archives Department since 1977. "You'd be surprised to find that sometimes even a tray or poster buried in the basement or tucked away in a closet is valuable.

"We hope to discover some of the hidden keepsakes our fans own and cherish in Las Vegas."

Coca-Cola has also developed limited edition commemorative bottles in special packaging for this event for collectors to purchase, including an eight-ounce bottle that retails at $6, another with a tube for $15, as well as a $100 crystal bottle that comes with authenticity certification.

Also on site at the event signing autographs will be Danny Grant, the model who sat for Norman Rockwell's original painting, "Barefoot Boy." The masterpiece, one of six Rockwell works commissioned by Coca-Cola, was used to create a 1931 calendar.

Additionally, photo opportunities with the Coca-Cola Polar Bear are also available, and fountain drinks will be available for only 5 cents. Those who bring in an artifact can receive $1 off a Coca-Cola float.