Common Items Most People Don’t Know Are Valuable

19. Apothecary Bottles

Way back in the 1800s, pharmacies used to sell medications in glass bottles. Sometimes, instead of using paper labels, the bottles are indented with the text of what went into each one. Before there were a proper trash and recycling system, people would sometimes bury their metal and glass trash in their backyards. So, sometimes, these apothecary bottles can be recovered while digging around. Some of them are very cool and quirky, and rare ones can go for a lot. While the paper is likely gone on buried bottles, those containing the labels go for the highest prices.

Bottles with colored glass like amber, blue, or green tend to sell for more than clear bottles. Labels that contain unique, old-time ingredients like laudanum or even cocaine also sell for more given the exciting history. Creepy bottles that contain the skull and crossbones symbol for poison or that reference poison in any way also sell at a premium for their spooky visual appeal. Be cautious when handling old apothecary bottles as it isn’t uncommon to find them with at least a portion of their original liquid contents still inside, and we can’t imagine one-hundred-year-old cocaine is good for you now — or ever!