Starbucks Atlanta mug: Discovery Series
The Atlanta mug from Starbucks' Discovery Series sets the city name in light blue over a dark green circle, with a phoenix, a skyline, a stadium, a race car and yellow flowers. A DJ, a boombox and a Peachtree St sign fill the other sides.
- Series
- Discovery Series
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Type
- Mug
- Released
- Not confirmed
- Capacity
- 14 fl ozstandard mug size
- SKU
- Not confirmed
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The city treasury that held $1.64 after Atlanta burned
On 15 November 1864, Union engineers began torching Atlanta, some of the buildings with explosive shells placed inside [1]. That night soldiers added unlicensed fires of their own, and much of downtown burned [2]. The army marched out the next morning. Residents who came back that winter found, according to the Georgia Encyclopedia, only $1.64 in worthless Confederate currency in the city treasury [3]. They rebuilt anyway, and fast [4]. By the 1880s the city had a seal: a bird rising from a bed of flames, with the word Resurgens above it and two dates, 1847 for the city's incorporation and 1865 [5]. It turns up on iron water-meter covers set into the sidewalk [6]. The phoenix at the left of the Atlanta mug (2) may be that bird.
The mug does not label its drawings, so connecting this one to the story is our reading.
What's on the mug
- 1Lettering
ATLANTA in light blue capitals over a dark green circle.
- 2Phoenix
A bird with blue, orange and purple feathers rises at the left of the circle, with long trailing tail feathers.
- 3Skyline
A skyline of tall buildings in blue, teal and orange sits on top of the circle, with trees below.
- 4Stadium
A stadium seen from above sits at the upper right of the circle.
- 5Red road and race car
A red road winds down from the stadium to a blue-and-yellow race car.
- 6Yellow flowers
Large yellow flowers with dark leaves sit below the lettering.
- 7DJ at turntables Side view
A DJ in headphones and a blue shirt works two turntables.
- 8Boombox Side view
A yellow boombox with a wide speaker sits above and to the right of the DJ.
- 9Gold-domed building Side view
A pale yellow building with a gold dome stands at the right of the side.
- 10Lake with autumn trees Side view
A lake lined with orange and purple trees fills the top left of the side.
- 11STARBUCKS wordmark Back view
The vertical STARBUCKS wordmark runs beside the handle on this side.
- 12Peachtree St sign Back view
A street sign reading Peachtree St NE stands at a crossing, with two orange peaches beside it.
- 13Street with cars Back view
Cars drive along a street, with people walking beside it.
- 14Plate of food Back view
A round plate holds golden fried pieces, with a small bowl beside it.
- 15Ferris wheel Back view
A Ferris wheel rises behind orange trees at the right of the back.
The three photos together cover most of the outside of the mug. The area behind the handle is out of view.
Collector notes
- The inside rim is yellow-orange, which shows at the top of the side and back photos.
- The DJ and the boombox are on the side photo and the Peachtree St sign is on the back photo, so a front-only listing photo shows neither.
Before you buy
The photo shows the front only. The DJ and boombox are on the side and the Peachtree St sign is on the back, and the inside rim is yellow-orange. Our checklist also lists Atlanta in the Been There, Icon and You Are Here series, so check the drawings before you order.
