The Legend Of The Super Secret Coca-Cola Recipe is thus: It’s like, super secret — as denoted by the legend’s name — and is kept hidden away in a safe at the World Of Coca-Cola museum in Atlanta so no mustachioed villains from PepsiCo or elsewhere can twirl said facial hair diabolically and then steal it. Only a few employees at a time are rumored to know the formula. But one self-described treasure hunter says not only did he find it, he’s putting it up for sale on eBay.

According to the Georgia man, who spoke to 11Alive News, he loves finding and selling antiques. He and his wife recently bought a box full of letters and papers at an estate sale, and discovered a cola recipe dated 1943 among the documents. He thinks it’s the real deal, the Coca-Cola recipe.

“You don’t stumble on things like this very often,” he said. “It’s a letter, and a formula, and the processes to make it. I think it’s a little deeper than having fun; I think it’s the recipe for Coca-Cola.”

It seems to match with the recipe NPR claimed two years ago was the original recipe for Coke. But just like that earlier “leak,” Coca-Cola is putting the kibosh on that, or so it seems, with the below statement:

“Through the years, many have tried to crack the secret formula, but no one has been able to reproduce the ‘real thing.’ The real formula is safely tucked away in a vault at the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta.”

In the meantime, the man has put the recipe on eBay with a starting bid of $5 million and a “Buy Now” $15 million option. No one’s bid yet. But hey, who cares about millions of dollars anyway?

“It’s just excitement,” the man says. “It’s an Easter egg hunt, looking for eggs out there. And when you come up with something like this, it’s Christmas.”

Coca-Cola recipe found? Georgia man says he has it [11Alive News]

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