The condition of a bottle has a dramatic impact its value. Once a common bottle gets a crack or chip, it usually loses half or more of its value. Damage is more tolerated on rarer bottles, but still has an impact on price.
Following are some terms used to identify the condition of a bottle.
- Mint – bottle is in brand new condition with absolutely no damage. Also called “attic mint” because most bottles of this condition must have been in an attic (i.e. and never underground) to have survived in such perfect condition. A tumbled bottle can never be mint.
- Near Mint – bottle would be mint except for some very minor damage like small stain, tiny nick, light scratch, small open bubble, or tiny patches of case wear. Lightly tumbled bottles can grade near mint if no other condition issues.
- Excellent – Between “Near Mint” and “Very Good”. Bottle may have some light stain and/or light case wear and/or light scratches but no chips/cracks. Moderate to heavily tumbled bottles can grade excellent if they just retain some light scratches or ground wear.
- Very Good – some scratches and medium-to-heavy case wear, some inside and/or outside staining. May have some minor nicks and no more than one or two small chips.
- Good – heavy scratches, substantial case wear, heavy staining, some chips.
- Poor – cracked and/or chipped.
- Damaged – large cracks and/or large pieces chipped away.
Chipped Maui Soda Works Bottle
