VINTAGE 1980S PROFESSIONAL COCA-COLA YO-YO CLASSIC BULGE SHAPE - IN GOOD CONDITION

A COCA COLA PROFESSIONAL ENJOY COKE RUSSELL SOUTH AFRICA YO-YO FROM THE 1980S. IN VERY GOOD TO FAIR CONDITION WITH ORIGINAL STRING. THE SOUTH AFRICAN VERSIONS WERE ONLY MADE HERE UNTIL THE MID-LATE 1980S.

THE RUSSELL PROFESSIONAL YO-YO IN CLASSIC BULGE SHAPE. MOST OF THE OLDER VERSIONS WERE HANDED OUT TO YO-YO PLAYERS DURING THE 1980'S, ESPECIALLY WITH THE COCA-COLA SPINNER CRAZE IN GREAT BRITAIN, AUSTRALIA AND SOUTH AFRICA.
 
SIZE:
Diameter: 56mm.
Material: Hard Plastic
 
A MUST FOR ANY VINTAGE COCA-COLA MEMORABILIA OR YO-YO COLLECTOR.
 
COCA-COLA YO-YOS:
Coca-Cola Company branded yo-yos are the most cross-collected brand of yo-yos, meaning that they are both sought after by yo-yo collectors and the collectors of Coca-Cola memorabilia.
The company has been producing advertising yo-yos and sponsoring contests for decades, the most memorable being the partnership with Russell in the 1970's and 1980's. 
Although the company did sponsor events in the United States, the number of promotions were limited compared to the foreign yo-yo promotions. These competitions were begun by Jack Russell, an American who worked for yoyo manufacturers Duncan before starting his own Russell Promotions, based in Florida.
In this period professional Russell demonstrators also took the craze to 95 countries, with yo-yo models reflecting most of the soft drinks produced by the Coca-Cola company. It consisted of an international team of experts giving yo-yo shows in a country.
 
YO-YOS MODELS PRODUCED AND VALUE:
Since the Coca-Cola sponsored yo-yos produced by the Russell company started in the 1960's, hundreds of different models has been produced: Beginner; Butterfly; Championship; Galaxy; Master; Professional; Super; Special Editions; Special Executive.
In 1967 someone had the brilliant idea of producing a limited-edition black and silver model known as the Special Executive. These were presented to Coca-Cola executives in a special velvet-lined cardboard box. These Special Executives are now the holy grail for yoyo collectors. How many were produced is unknown. They are worth around $750.
The similar Black Super models was presented to winners of competitions from 1973 onwards. These are worth between $100 and $150.
Limited editions have always been produced by Coca-Cola. Some of these are valuable (the 1984 Mello Yello, $100; the 1988 Fanta Special Spin, $50}.
 
NAME YO-YO: Yoyo historians suggest that a primitive form of the toy originated in the Philippines, where it was once used as a tribal weapon. Others say the name Yoyo is of Chinese origin and means "Friendly".
 
CONDITION: MINOR DAMAGE TO THE HARD PLASTIC ON ONE SIDE AS SEEN ON PHOTOS. SOME USED SMUDGES AND SCRAPES ON THE WHILE SPIN RIM.STRING IS OLD AND YELLOWED BUT STILL WORKING. OVERALL IN VERY GOOD VINTAGE CONDITION.
 
ALSO SEE MY OTHER ITEMS. HAVE ANOTHER RARE TEENAGE NINJA TURTLES YO-YO FROM 1992 FOR SALE.