Puszkomania

Collector's dizziness: 6 German sets of Mundial 2014 cans!

FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil is not only about incredible struggles of football but also a perfect time for the wider promotion of the sponsors of this event. One of them is Coca Cola. It's the only organization that supports mundial continuously for decades. In the participating countries in this year's championship you can find various editions of cans of which perhaps the most impressive looks six German series with a total of 144 cans! Such a state of affairs for many collectors can cause considerable dizziness...

Coca Cola cans with the names of the players of the German National Soccer Team appeared in shops between late March and June this year. A total of six numbered series, three for size 330 ml and 250 ml are available:

- Coca Cola (red colour),
- Coca Cola Light (silver colour),
- Coca Cola Zero (black colour).

Each can has an unique number, hence collectors will have no problems with their appropriate selection. However, the manufacturer of this beverage distributes its product in a random way, so that the stores get packs of cardboard boxes in which the numbering of metal packaging is random. Thus, to complete at least one series of 24 Coca-Cola cans you need to visit at least two or more stores in Germany. Additionally, a set of small cans of 250 ml is much more difficult to find, as opposed to 330 ml.

Who had the honor of having his name and autograph on the German cans of Coca Cola? Twenty-four players of the German national team, of which not all of them actually went to the World Cup 2014 in Brazil (the following list corresponding names are marked with an asterisk):

1. Manuel Neuer
2. René Adler *
3. Roman Weidenfeller
4. Mats Hummels
5. Jérôme Boateng
6. Per Mertesacker
7. Benedikt Höwedes
8. Philipp Lahm
9. Marcel Schmelzer *
10. Julian Draxler
11. Mesut Özil
12. Bastian Schweinsteiger
13. Sami Khedira
14. André Schürrle
15. Lukas Podolski
16. Marco Reus *
17. Thomas Müller
18. Toni Kroos
19. Ilkay Gündogan *
20. Lars Bender *
21. Mario Götze
22. Miro Klose
23. Mario Gómez *
24. Max Kruse *

Different sets of empty cans originally appeared on German eBay with a price several times bigger than the costs of the bail of one empty can (one set is worth 6 euros, while for the set of 24 cans you will pay in shop around 18 Euro). So far I managed to complete almost three full series of 330 ml (missing only Coca Cola Zero 10, 20, 21 and 22) and one, the only, lonely can of Coca Cola 250 ml with 24 number.

Ingredients of 330 ml German Coca Cola can:

Water, sugar, carbon dioxide, caramel colour E 150d, citric acid, natural flavor, aroma caffeine. One can of 330 ml provides 139 kcal (7% of the daily requirement of an adult man) and 35 grams of sugar (39% of demand).

Ingredients of 330 ml German Coca Cola Light can:

Water, carbon dioxide, caramel colour E 150d, citric acid, phosphoric acid and sweeteners (sodium cyclamate, acesulfame-K, aspartame), flavoring, caffeine flavor, contains a source of phenylalanine. One can of 330 ml provides 0 calories and 0 grams of sugar.

Ingredients of 330 ml German Coca Cola Zero can:

Water, carbon dioxide, caramel colour E 150d, citric acid, sweeteners (sodium cyclamate, acesulfame-K, aspartame), flavoring, acidity regulator - citric acid, caffeine flavor, contains a source of phenylalanine. One can of 330 ml provides 0 calories and 0 grams of sugar.

Where you can buy German Coca Cola in cans?

It's available in many markets, such as a German Netto, Real and Kaufland in Germany.

Conclusions:

It's encouraging that there are countries in which a series of numbered cans are still produced. But also it's a pity that this kind of solution among Polish producers of beverages aren't practiced for years. Also a bit pity that in Poland there appeared no official can on the occasion of the FIFA World Cup in 2014, but certainly we have to blame missed Polish football representation in the finals of the tournament.

How do you like (and tastes) German Coca Cola?

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