Starbucks Philadelphia mug: Discovery Series
The Philadelphia mug from Starbucks' Discovery Series sets PHILADELPHIA in blue capitals over a dark green circle, with a loaded sandwich, a boxer in pink gloves, a pink skyline and a river. A clock tower, a bell, a kite and a giraffe wrap round the other sides.
- Series
- Discovery Series
- Place
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Type
- Mug
- Released
- Not confirmed
- Capacity
- 14 fl ozstandard mug size
- SKU
- Not confirmed
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The bronze boxer Stallone left on the museum steps
In 1982, the crew of Rocky III finished filming on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Sylvester Stallone left his bronze boxer behind as a gift to the city [1]. According to the Pop History Dig, some people regarded it as nothing more than a movie prop [2]. It stayed several months [3]. Then the city moved it to the Spectrum, a sports arena in South Philadelphia [4]. By 2002 it was in storage [5]. In 2006 the Art Commission voted 6 to 2 to bring it back, to a pedestal at street level beside the steps [6]. In September 2026 crews began preparing to install it permanently at the top of them [7]. The pink-gloved boxer on the Philadelphia mug (3) may be a drawing of Rocky.
The mug does not label its drawings, so connecting this one to the story is our reading.
What's on the mug
- 1Lettering
PHILADELPHIA in blue capitals runs across a dark green circle, partly hidden behind the boxer's arm.
- 2Loaded sandwich
A long roll piled with dark filling and green peppers tilts above the lettering, at the upper left of the circle.
- 3Boxer
A blue figure in a yellow-green vest and pink boxing gloves throws a punch at the right of the lettering.
- 4Pink skyline
A row of pink and yellow towers stands in front of the lower half of the green circle.
- 5River
A band of blue water with a small white sailboat runs along the base, edged by yellow grass and trees.
- 6Tall purple building
A tall tower striped in purple, pink and yellow stands at the left edge of the front.
- 7Clock tower Side view
A tall green-and-yellow tower with a clock face and a pointed top rises above an ornate building with arched windows.
- 8Bell Side view
A large blue bell hangs from a wooden frame at the centre of this side.
- 9Kite Side view
A diamond kite in pink, green and purple flies over blue clouds, its string trailing down.
- 10Bubblegum blower Side view
A person in a purple top sits with legs stretched out and blows a pink bubble.
- 11Yellow parchment Side view
A yellow sheet covered in lines of script stands at the left edge of this side.
- 12Giraffe Back view
A pink giraffe covered in green-edged spots stands in front of a red-brick building.
- 13Red-brick hall Back view
A long red-brick building with white trim and a clock tower with a steeple sits behind the giraffe.
- 14Striped cones Back view
Yellow and orange striped cones fall through the air to the right of the giraffe's head.
- 15STARBUCKS wordmark Back view
The vertical STARBUCKS wordmark runs beside the handle on this side.
The three photos show the front, one side and the back by the handle. The strip of print between the back and the front, to the right of the handle, is not shown in any of them.
Collector notes
- The inside of this mug is bright lime green, a stronger colour than most Discovery mugs, which makes it easy to pick out in a shelf photo.
- The Pennsylvania Discovery Series mug is a separate listing on our checklist; this one is lettered PHILADELPHIA and carries the city scenes, including the boxer and the sandwich.
Before you buy
The photos show the front, one side and the back by the handle; the strip of print to the right of the handle is not shown. The inside is bright lime green. Philadelphia also appears on the Been There, Icon and You Are Here series, and the Pennsylvania Discovery mug is a separate listing from this one.
Other Philadelphia mugs
About the Discovery Series
Sources
- Pop History Dig: The Rocky Statue, 1980-2009
- Pop History Dig: The Rocky Statue, 1980-2009
- Pop History Dig: The Rocky Statue, 1980-2009
- Pop History Dig: The Rocky Statue, 1980-2009
- Pop History Dig: The Rocky Statue, 1980-2009
- Pop History Dig: The Rocky Statue, 1980-2009
- NBC10 Philadelphia: Rocky statue to be permanently installed
