A Cott discovery..'It's Cott to be good!'

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Canadacan
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A Cott discovery..'It's Cott to be good!'

#1

Post by Canadacan »

Late last year I made the incredible discovery of these ads. The only second generation can to have surfaced or become documented was in Dave Tanner's guide... a 10oz lemon lime.
This new information now establishes an earlier date for flat top soda cans in Canada and shows that it basically mirrored the USA versions. Interesting to note in the second ad the Ginger ale featured is the second generation 10oz (came out in 1961)....yet this style has not been documented for the USA, although I have only scoured through the Canadian ads, so this can may exist on newsprint in a 12oz US version. This also brings into question, did the Ginger Ale also come in the first generation style can?.....well I believe it did! ..we just have not seen it yet!



This is an ad from The Ottawa Journal- Thursday 18 November 1954, the ad is by Steinberg's grocery and features the first generation Cott cola can, to date none of these exceptionally rare 12oz Canadian cans have been documented.
TheOttawaJournal-Thursday18November1954-adfromSteinbergs-Copy.png

This second ad is from The Ottawa Journal- Wednesday 17 July 1963, the ad is by Steinberg's grocery and features the second generation 10oz Cola and Ginger ale, I believe the can in the background to be Orange. The Lemon lime not shown here but is documented in the guide.
CottBeverages-TheOttawaJournal-Wednesday12June1963-Copy.jpg
It would appear now that this is a second generation?...or probably third generation Ginger Ale.
Cott2-Ga-01- FT AC002.png


Ivan... RB #1078 Collector of soda cans & bottles from Canada. Looking for Canadian soada cans 12oz & 10oz From the 1950s right into the 80s.
Also Canadian Beers ,USA Orange Crush bottles And American Drewrys beer cans.
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Re: A Cott discovery..'It's Cott to be good!'

#2

Post by Canadacan »

A little extra research revealed the USA versions of the Ginger ale in the same label as generation 1 and 2 just may not have been. The ad shows the traditional shield as similar to the can above, in paper labels, note that the club soda shares the generation 1 design. The other ad does show a variation label, of course different years and regions. I can't seem to locate any ads with cans for USA Cott.....well it's a little inconclusive because at time the bottle labels were not always the same as the cans, but you know the old saying!

New York, Poughkeepsie Journal 1956...source from newspapers dot com.
Cott-Poughkeepsie Journal 1956.jpg
The Daily Notes, 16 Oct 1958, Thu- Canonsburg Pennsylvania...source from newspapers dot com.
Cott-The Daily Notes, 16 Oct 1958, Thu- Canonsburg Pennsylvania.jpg
Ivan... RB #1078 Collector of soda cans & bottles from Canada. Looking for Canadian soada cans 12oz & 10oz From the 1950s right into the 80s.
Also Canadian Beers ,USA Orange Crush bottles And American Drewrys beer cans.
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Re: A Cott discovery..'It's Cott to be good!'

#3

Post by dtsoc »

The earlier Cott Ginger Ale labels used black as a primary print color. The all green versions didn't show up in the US until about 63. I don't think this can is that early. My guess would be the weight of the tin would also be much lighter than the 63 generation. Do you have an earlier label to compare the weight to? That is also consistent with what we see in the US cans from the mid 50's through the late 60's.

The 12oz Cott looks identical to the US version. I am wondering if it could have been a US can? It wouldn't have made a lot of sense for these to be produced in Canada in 54 with the next generation following in 63. Although they were produced in the US in 54, I don't know of too many examples that transferred to production in Canada that quickly. Do you think Canada was canning that early? The earliest soda examples would be the Hires first generation and possibly the 12oz Mason's (It has a larger CCC logo on it, which is consistent with cans from the mid-50's, rather than the smaller CCC found on the other Canadian 12's. I'm not sure either of those date to 54 though. I would have guessed 56-57 at the earliest.
Dave T
I collect one flavor of rare soda can generations. Also publish Collectible Soda Cans - don't hesitate to contact me with cans you have available or questions about old soda cans.
http://www.collectiblesodacans.com
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Re: A Cott discovery..'It's Cott to be good!'

#4

Post by Canadacan »

Well realising now that it used a black ink, that pretty much rules out any further variations on the USA ginger ale, this seems to make sense as the ads show the same.
The first generation Canadian can is very much the same as the US version, it's possible it was made in the USA...however Continental was making cans up here already ie: cone tops. Yes it is possible Canada was Canning soda as early as 54...knowing that cones were produced and bottled here.
Also just to mention again on the differences with some cans like the diet version for Canada vs the USA....I just wonder why they used the second generation logo for ginger ale when a label was already in use for the USA.

The Shasta grape I have is a good example of a USA made can but filled here. I agree most 12oz FT have a small CCC logo but that is the same for several of the cones....but my 12oz Canada Dry grapefruit has a large CCC, so dose that mean it's from the mid 50's?...hard to know until you see proof...I would lean toward 58 ish at best.
The earliest ad I had seen for Mason's in tins was 1958 but it did not indicate size...but I am quite sure it would have been 12oz. I also have ads showing Cragmont in 12oz cans in 1960, with the Safeway logo on front, again were they USA or Canadian made cans?
Can-A-Pop was imported by one Alberta store in 1953 and another brought in Shasta in 10oz tins in 1954...just an interesting tid bit!

As far as absolutely verifying a can made here with an advertising date for the earliest could be tough but these advertisements sure do help!
Many discoveries still await! :mrgreen:
Ivan... RB #1078 Collector of soda cans & bottles from Canada. Looking for Canadian soada cans 12oz & 10oz From the 1950s right into the 80s.
Also Canadian Beers ,USA Orange Crush bottles And American Drewrys beer cans.
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