Starbucks Pike Place mug: Discovery Series
The Pike Place mug from Starbucks' Discovery Series sets PIKE PLACE in light blue capitals over a dark green circle, with a shopper carrying a net bag, a ferry, oysters and lemon, a bouquet, apples, hyacinths and cherries; the inside is blue.
- Series
- Discovery Series
- Place
- Pike Place, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Type
- Mug
- Released
- Not confirmed
- Capacity
- 14 fl ozstandard mug size
- SKU
- Not confirmed
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The jar of coins on Pike Place's first morning
On the first morning of Pike Place Market, one farmer was pushed away from his own wagon by the crowd. When he fought his way back, his produce was gone and a quart jar full of coins sat in its place [1]. It was 17 August 1907, and Seattle was angry about onions. According to The Seattle Times, middlemen on Western Avenue had driven the price from 10 cents a pound to a dollar [1]. Councilman Thomas Revelle found an unused 1896 law, and the council passed his ordinance on 5 August, letting farmers sell straight to the public [2]. Commission houses had threatened to boycott anyone who tried it. Only a handful of farmers came, and by 11 a.m. hundreds of shoppers went home disappointed [2]. Word got round. A week later some 70 wagons filled the street, and on 30 November a covered arcade opened with more than 120 farmers in its stalls [2]. The shopper with the net bag on the Pike Place mug (2) is walking into that market.
The mug does not label its drawings, so connecting this one to the story is our reading.
What's on the mug
- 1Lettering
PIKE PLACE in light blue capitals on two lines over a dark green circle.
- 2Shopper
A person with curly red hair, a scarf and red shoes carries a net bag and walks toward the right.
- 3Ferry
A white and blue ferry sits at the upper right of the circle.
- 4Oysters and lemon
Three blue oysters and two orange lemon slices sit above the lettering.
- 5Coffee cup
A small white cup with steam sits at the left of the lettering.
- 6Bouquet
A wrapped bouquet of orange and pink flowers leans at the right.
- 7Apples
Red and yellow apples hang at the lower left of the circle.
- 8Hyacinths and cherries
Blue hyacinths and a basket of cherries sit at the base of the art.
The photo shows one side of the mug. The back and the area behind the handle are out of view.
Collector notes
- The inside of this mug is blue, which shows at the rim in the photo.
- The shopper with red hair fills the left of the face, while the ferry and the bouquet are at the right, so photos from both sides are needed to see the market scene.
Before you buy
The inside of this mug is blue, and it shows at the rim in the photo. The photo covers one side only: the ferry and the bouquet are at the right, and the back and the area behind the handle are out of view. Pike Place also appears twice in the Been There series, so check the series name in the listing.
