Starbucks Atlantic City mug: Discovery Series

By The Starbucks Cups team · Last checked 2026-10-14 · How we make these pages

Starbucks Discovery Series Atlantic City mug in its box with a runner, jets, a whale and boardwalk storefronts around the word ATLANTIC CITY — Front view · numbered markers match the list below Show markers

The Atlantic City mug from Starbucks' Discovery Series puts the city name in red over a dark green circle, with a runner, fighter jets, a whale and a striped boardwalk pavilion. A slot machine, a disco ball, a Ferris wheel and cocktails fill the other sides.

Series: Discovery Series
Place: Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
Type: Mug
Released: Not confirmed
Capacity: 14 fl ozstandard mug size
SKU: Not confirmed

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The Atlantic City footwalk that banned wheels, then licensed them

On 25 April 1870 a petition went before Atlantic City's council for a footwalk on the beach ^[1]. It opened on 26 June, according to the Atlantic City Free Public Library: eight feet wide and a mile long ^[2]. Vehicles of any kind were prohibited ^[3]. Then came the third boardwalk, in 1884, which was more accessible to vehicles, and wheelchairs were allowed on it ^[4]. By 1887 a hardware-store owner named William Hayday was renting them to vacationers, with attendants to push ^[5]. Some people pretended to need one. City authorities made no objection, and the practice grew ^[6]. In 1891 the city gave in and began licensing rolling chairs, at $10 a chair ^[7]. The striped boardwalk on the Atlantic City mug (5) is what that first footwalk grew into.

The mug does not label its drawings, so connecting this one to the story is our reading.

What's on the mug

1
Lettering
ATLANTIC CITY in red capitals over a dark green circle.
2
Runner
A runner in a red top, teal shorts and yellow shoes strides across the left of the circle, with a small red cart below.
3
Jets
Three small grey jets fly in a row above the lettering.
4
Whale
A dark blue whale with a white spray rises at the upper right of the lettering.
5
Boardwalk storefronts
A row of small shops with red roofs sits on a yellow striped boardwalk, with tiny walking figures in front.
6
Striped pavilion
A rounded pavilion with red and white stripes and a red awning stands at the right of the circle.
7
Slot machine Side view
A red slot machine with three 7s and a row of stars stands at the left of this side.
8
Disco ball and dancers Side view
Five dancing figures with raised arms surround a disco ball above a DJ booth.
9
Ferris wheel and pier Side view
A Ferris wheel stands on a long pier at the water line.
10
Jet ski rider Side view
A rider on a red jet ski cuts through teal and yellow waves at the lower left of this side.
11
STARBUCKS wordmark Back view
The vertical STARBUCKS wordmark runs beside the handle on this side.
12
Cocktails Back view
A red cocktail glass, a tall iced drink and a yellow-green drink with a lime slice stand in a row.
13
Lifeguard chair Back view
A red lifeguard chair stands on a yellow patch of sand with a small figure beside it.

The photo does not show the base or the inside wall below the rim. Release year, SKU and any retirement status are not confirmed.

Collector notes

The inside of this mug is teal, which shows at the rim in the Side and Back photos and not in the boxed Front photo.
The slot machine, the disco ball and the Ferris wheel sit on the Side view, while the cocktails and the lifeguard chair are on the Back, so a Front-only photo misses most of the scenes.

Before you buy

The Atlantic City mug is 14 fl oz and teal inside, which shows at the rim in the Side and Back photos but not in the boxed Front photo. The slot machine, disco ball and Ferris wheel are on the Side, the cocktails and lifeguard chair on the Back. We found no other series with this place.