Starbucks Denver Mugs: Discovery Series vs Been There Series
Starbucks has made at least two Denver collector mugs, one in the Discovery Series and one in the Been There Series. They look very different. This page puts them side by side so you know which one a listing shows.
Discovery Series
- DENVER in pale blue-white letters on a dark green circle
- Bright orange, blue and pink artwork with a chairlift, a train station, a sundae and a tent
- Light blue inside
Been There Series
- DENVER in tall dark brown capitals across the top
- Black and brown line art with a canoe, a trout, a bicycle wheel and a sun
- A Red Rocks drawing labelled RED ROCKS, and MILE-HIGH CITY lettering
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Denver: how to tell them apart
| Discovery Series | Been There Series | |
|---|---|---|
| Name lettering | DENVER in pale blue-white letters | DENVER in tall dark brown capitals |
| Where the name sits | On a dark green circle in the middle of the design | Across the top edge, above the art |
| Main colours in our photos | Orange, blue, pink and dark green | Black and brown line art with touches of light green |
| Words on the art | None other than the name in our photo | RED ROCKS and MILE-HIGH CITY |
| Inside the mug | Light blue | Not shown in our photo |
What the series themselves say
- Art style. Been There: Whimsical icons in a hand-drawn style. Discovery: Colourful, overlapping icons that build a narrative of each location.
- Centre of the design. Been There: Not described by Starbucks. Discovery: A green dot behind the place name, which is in a hand-drawn typeface.
- People. Been There: Not described by Starbucks. Discovery: Each design includes a person doing a local activity; the first Starbucks global collection to feature people.
- Hidden detail. Been There: Not described by Starbucks. Discovery: A Starbucks to-go cup is hidden in each design.
Notes
- A listing that only says Denver Starbucks mug could be either one. Check the lettering and the colours against the photos above before you buy.
- We have not confirmed release years for either mug, so the table does not give them.
- The Discovery Series mug has its own page with photos from the front, side and back and a guide to every drawing on it.