The thirst for nostalgia runs deeper than most people realize. While countless discontinued products fade into obscurity, certain beverages have become liquid gold in the collector’s market. From corporate missteps to limited production runs, these discontinued drinks now command eye-watering prices that would make their original creators marvel.
Discontinued foods or those that are soon to be discontinued are all over eBay, and foodies from all over the world are desperate to snap up the last of their favorite’s stock before it vanishes forever. If you’re in possession of some of the most rare, collectible snacks and drinks, you could be making big money. Industry analysts have tracked remarkable price increases for these beverage collectibles, with some reaching auction values that rival fine art.
Crystal Pepsi – The Clear Cola That’s Crystal Clear in Value
The so-called “Clear Cola” hit the scene in 1992 and was discontinued barely a year later. The drink saw a brief revival in 2016, and Pepsi even gave a new version of it away for a contest in 2022. Yet the original formula remains one of the most sought-after discontinued beverages in collector circles. Today, a yellowed 16-ounce glass bottle of the original stuff can be had on eBay for around $87.
The clear cola phenomenon wasn’t just a marketing gimmick gone wrong. Not even a splashy debut commercial featuring Van Halen during Super Bowl XXVII could stave off extinction for Pepsi’s short-lived translucent cola. Despite the massive advertising push, consumers never warmed to the concept. Crystal Pepsi was discontinued by the end of 1993, but there’s a listing for three bottles priced at $500. The irony is palpable – what failed spectacularly in stores has become a treasure in storage.
Some collectors report finding pristine bottles selling for even higher amounts depending on condition and rarity. The yellowing of the bottles over time has actually become a verification mark of authenticity, making them even more desirable to serious collectors.
Billy Beer – Presidential Brother’s Brew Commands Presidential Prices
Another notorious beverage sought by collectors is Billy Beer, a brew promoted in 1977 by the late Billy Carter, kid brother of President Jimmy Carter. The younger Carter, a Georgia gas station attendant with a reputation as a drinker, was approached by the Falls City Brewing Company to lend his name to the brew. This presidential connection has created an enduring fascination among collectors.
The beer itself wasn’t particularly well-received during its original run. It was a failure and may very well have been the final nail in the coffin for the brewery, which closed down after more than 70 years in business in 1978. Collectors will pay a lot for these if they are unopened. The political novelty factor, combined with its brief market presence, has transformed Billy Beer into a highly coveted collectible.
Political memorabilia collectors particularly prize these bottles, as they represent a unique intersection of American brewing history and White House connections. The fact that the brewery closed shortly after Billy Beer’s launch adds another layer of scarcity to these items. Unopened cans in excellent condition have been known to fetch several hundred dollars at auction.
New Coke – The Marketing Disaster That’s Now Pure Gold
The soda maker tweaked the formula and introduced “New Coke” to a dubious public in 1985. The new, sweeter flavor was almost universally panned, and Coca-Cola, responding to customers’ negative reaction, re-introduced the original formula after less than three months, re-branding it “Coke Classic” in the process. This spectacular corporate blunder has since become one of the most famous marketing failures in history.
Over the years there has been speculation that the switch was merely a sly marketing ploy, but the rumors are largely unsubstantiated. In 2019, the controversial cola made a limited-time comeback as part of a promotion for Stranger Things. The brief production window and notorious reputation have made original New Coke cans extremely valuable. Collectors looking to own some of the original ephemeral beverage can find bottles or cans on eBay ranging from $15 to over $100.
What makes New Coke particularly fascinating to collectors is its status as a tangible piece of corporate history. Business schools still study the New Coke debacle as a classic example of consumer research gone wrong, making these cans essentially educational artifacts. The Stranger Things promotion proved that even negative associations can create positive market value decades later.
Surge – The Energy Drink That Energizes Wallets
Surge was an attempt by Coca-Cola to compete for the “in-your-face attitude” territory that Pepsi’s Mountain Dew had staked out. A citrus-flavored soda, it was marketed as an energy drink of sorts, touting itself as “a fully-loaded citrus soda with carbos” (carbos!). The extreme marketing approach reflected the aggressive competition between soda giants during the 1990s.
One of the most coveted discontinued drinks ever, Surge, was pulled from shelves in 2003 – but online, one person is offering 12 cans for the outrageous price of $89.99. The drink developed a cult following that persisted long after its discontinuation. Devoted fans even launched campaigns to bring it back, which Coca-Cola eventually did in limited quantities.
The “carbos” marketing angle now seems charmingly dated, but it represents an early attempt to tap into the energy drink market that would later explode. Collectors appreciate Surge not just for its scarcity, but for its historical significance as a precursor to modern energy drinks. The bright green packaging and aggressive branding have made it a nostalgic icon of 1990s consumer culture.
Orbitz – The Lava Lamp Drink That Illuminates Profits
Before there was the online travel booking service, there was the soft drink. Orbitz was unleashed on the market by the Clearly Canadian Beverage Company in 1997, each bottle packed with tiny, brightly colored gelatinous balls, giving the drink a lava lamp-like appearance. The short-lived refreshment, which came in a variety of mixed fruit flavors, barely lasted a year.
A bottle of Orbitz today could set you back upwards of $50 or $60 today on eBay – around the same price as an actual lava lamp. The visual appeal has made these bottles particularly attractive to collectors who appreciate the novelty factor. While Orbitz probably shouldn’t come back to stores anytime soon, it’s a coveted collectors’ item due to the cool appearance.
The gelatinous balls that defined Orbitz were made from gellan gum, the same substance used in laboratory growth media. While the taste was reportedly questionable, the distinctive appearance has given these bottles enduring appeal. The fact that the brand name was later used by the travel company has created additional confusion and interest among collectors. Finding an intact bottle with the balls still suspended properly significantly increases its value.
Tab – The Diet Pioneer That’s Now Premium Priced
Soda controversy erupted in 2020 as Coca-Cola announced that it was discontinuing Tab, the venerable diet soft drink that was first introduced to weight-conscious pop connoisseurs back in 1963. Tab survivalists have been hoarding the sugar-free commodity ever since – a quick glance on eBay shows prices as high as $97 for a 12-pack.
Tab’s discontinuation sparked genuine grief among its devoted fanbase. The pink and white cans had become synonymous with diet culture of the 1970s and 1980s. This popular diet soda was finally discontinued by Coca-Cola in 2020. It has a lot of popularity still, and it still can be found if you know any collectors that have been hording it. It would not surprise me if this soda comes back for a limited time.
Unlike some discontinued beverages that failed due to poor taste or marketing, Tab actually maintained a loyal following throughout its decades-long run. The artificial sweetener saccharin gave it a distinctive taste that devotees claimed no other diet soda could replicate. This genuine consumer attachment has translated directly into collector value, with unopened cases becoming increasingly precious as supplies dwindle.
Pepsi Blue – The Berry-Flavored Flop That’s Bearing Fruit
As the name suggests, Pepsi Blue was known for its glass cleaner-like blue tint. The company pumped huge sums of money into promoting it, recruiting the likes of Britney Spears for television spots, and partnering with a host of corporate sponsors from the New York Mets to Volkswagen. While Americans’ taste for the berry-flavored drink never really took off, it was brought back briefly in 2021 and you can grab a bottle of the revived version on eBay for $10.
His priciest listings ever were twin 12-packs of discontinued Pepsi Blue and the original Mr. Pibb, after Pibb Xtra replaced it, for $600 each. He did succeed, though, in eventually off-loading individual cans of Pepsi Blue as collectors’ items for $25 each. The celebrity endorsements and massive marketing campaign have made Pepsi Blue a nostalgic touchstone for early 2000s culture.
The bright blue color was both the product’s most memorable feature and its biggest liability with consumers. Many found the artificial appearance off-putting, despite the berry flavor being relatively pleasant. Collector demand has remained strong partly because of the visual impact these cans create in display cases. The brief 2021 revival actually increased interest in original cans, as new consumers discovered what they had missed.
The collector market for discontinued beverages represents more than simple nostalgia. These drinks have become artifacts of corporate decision-making, cultural moments, and consumer psychology. Rare embossing, color variants, century-old designs, or limited-edition releases can push prices into the high hundreds or even low thousands of dollars for collectors. Whether driven by genuine affection or investment potential, the market shows no signs of losing its fizz. What would you pay for a taste of the past?
