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Starbucks Cups

Starbucks Auburn University mug: Discovery Series

The Auburn University mug from Starbucks' Discovery Series is part of the Campus Collection. It sets AUBURN UNIVERSITY in orange over a green circle, with an eagle, a flag-waving mascot, a stadium and a brick hall, plus a tiger and a football player on the side.

Series
Discovery Series
Place
Auburn University, Alabama, USA
Type
Mug
Released
Not confirmed
Capacity
14 fl ozstandard mug size
SKU
Not confirmed

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The $10 eagle from a pea patch that Auburn took to Thanksgiving

In November 1930 a golden eagle dived on a flock of turkeys at Bee Hive, Alabama, and ended up tangled in a mass of pea vines [1]. Fourteen individuals and businesses scraped together $10 and bought it from the farmer who owned the patch [2]. Auburn had not won a Southern Conference game in four seasons and was expected to lose to South Carolina on Thanksgiving Day in Columbus, Georgia [3]. The eagle went along, in a wire enclosure [4]. Auburn won 25-7 [5]. The students concluded that the eagle's luck had done it [6]. The cry "War Eagle" was older than the bird: according to Auburn, it began with a Civil War veteran's pet eagle that circled the field at the first Georgia game, in 1892 [7]. The pea-patch eagle's own end is a puzzle, and one rumor says it was stuffed and put in the athletic museum [8]. Auburn counts seven eagles since the first [9]. The dark blue eagle on the Auburn mug (2) swoops in as one of eight.

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

What's on the mug

  1. 1
    Lettering

    AUBURN UNIVERSITY in orange capitals over a dark green circle.

  2. 2
    Eagle

    A dark blue eagle with spread wings swoops in at the upper left of the lettering.

  3. 3
    Mascot with flag

    A figure in a blue football jersey numbered 01 holds up an orange flag with an AU logo.

  4. 4
    Stadium

    A blue and orange stadium with packed stands fills the lower left.

  5. 5
    Brick hall

    An orange brick building with white columns stands at the lower right, with a small sign below it.

  6. 6
    Slogan text

    Small curved lettering reading EVERYTHING SCHOOL sits beside open books.

  7. 7
    Tiger head Side view

    A cartoon tiger head with orange and black stripes and blue accents sits at the left of this side.

  8. 8
    Football player Side view

    A player in a navy jersey and silver helmet runs carrying a football.

  9. 9
    Clock tower hall Side view

    A red-orange brick hall with a pointed clock tower stands at the right of this side.

  10. 10
    Pom-pom trees Side view

    Two trees with orange-white and blue-white streamers like pom-poms stand below the player and the hall.

  11. 11
    STARBUCKS wordmark Back view

    The vertical STARBUCKS wordmark runs beside the handle on this side.

  12. 12
    Runner with scarf Back view

    A figure in a blue top and striped trousers runs toward the edge, above blue and orange lettering that is cut off by the curve.

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 bright orange, matching the orange lettering and the orange in the artwork, and it shows at the rim in all three photos.
  • The box is marked CAMPUS COLLECTION under DISCOVERY SERIES, which separates it from the city and state mugs; the football player and the brick hall are on the Side, away from the Front lettering.

Before you buy

The photo cannot show the base, and the inside of this mug is bright orange. The box reads Campus Collection under Discovery Series, which separates it from the city and state mugs. We found no other series carrying Auburn University.

About the Discovery Series

Sources

  1. Auburn University, War Eagle history
  2. Auburn University, War Eagle history
  3. Auburn University, War Eagle history
  4. Auburn University, War Eagle history
  5. Auburn University, War Eagle history
  6. Auburn University, War Eagle history
  7. Auburn University, War Eagle: the battle cry
  8. Auburn University, War Eagle history
  9. Auburn University, War Eagle: the battle cry

More Discovery Series mugs

See the full Discovery Series checklist →

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