A Chocolate Bar Sold at Auction for Almost $700
You might think spending a small fortune on a sweet treat is nuts, but this isn't your average candy bar. The century-old Cadbury chocolate from Captain Scott's Antarctic expedition just fetched nearly $700 at Christie's auction house. It's still in its original wrapper and hasn't melted after 100 years. You'll want to know the remarkable journey this chocolate took from the frozen continent to the auction block, and why collectors were so enthusiastic to get their hands on it.
The Story Behind the Century-Old Cadbury Bar
While exploring Antarctica in the early 1900s, Captain Scott's team packed an impressive 3,500 pounds of chocolate for their journey.
The expedition rations included special Cadbury bars made at their Birmingham factory, designed to boost energy in harsh conditions.
You might wonder how a chocolate bar could survive 100 years, but this one did – safely wrapped inside a cigarette tin.
The chocolate preservation was remarkable, with experts noting it stayed in "good shape" despite its age.
While it probably wouldn't taste great today, the 4-inch bar never became unsafe to eat.
This piece of history was discovered uneaten and still in its original packaging.
It's fascinating to think that this comfort food, meant to give explorers a taste of home, remained untouched for a century.
The cocoa and sugar mixture provided crucial warmth for the explorers facing -40-degree Celsius temperatures.
The historical significance of this bar was confirmed when it became the most valuable chocolate bar ever sold at auction.
Historical Context of Scott's Antarctic Expedition
Before starting his famous Terra Nova expedition in 1910, Captain Robert Falcon Scott had already led a successful Antarctic journey.
Between 1901 and 1904, Scott's leadership guided the Discovery expedition, where his team established a base at McMurdo Sound and conducted important scientific research.
You'll find it interesting that Scott's earlier expedition helped pave the way for his ambitious 1910 journey to reach the South Pole.
He secured funding through public support and government grants, assembling a well-equipped team with dogs, ponies, and motorized sledges.
The harsh Antarctic conditions they faced were extreme, even by polar standards.
Like Ernest Shackleton's crew who relied on chocolate for survival, Scott's team also carried chocolate supplies during their expedition.
While Scott and his team ultimately reached the Pole on January 17, 1912, they discovered Norwegian explorer Amundsen had beaten them by 34 days.
Tragically, Scott and his polar party didn't survive the return journey. The expedition received substantial backing from the Royal Geographical Society to help finance the journey.
How the Auction Unfolded at Christie's
Nearly a century after Scott's historic expeditions, a remarkable piece of polar history came up for auction at Christie's in London.
The auction dynamics proved exciting as buyers competed for a 10-centimeter chocolate bar preserved in a cigarette tin from the Discovery expedition.
You'd be surprised to learn how the bidding strategies evolved that day. Multiple interested parties, both online and in-person, drove the price well above Christie's initial estimate.
The simple Cadbury chocolate bar was nothing more than an ordinary candy bar from its time period.
The competition was fierce as collectors recognized the bar's unique historical value. When the hammer finally fell, an anonymous buyer had secured this sweet piece of history for £470 ($687).
The chocolate bar's sale made headlines worldwide and set a record for the most expensive chocolate ever sold at auction.
What Makes This Chocolate Bar Unique
A remarkable chocolate bar from Captain Scott's 1901 Antarctic expedition stands out for several extraordinary qualities.
You'll find this 10 cm Cadbury's bar perfectly preserved after spending 100 years in the harsh Antarctic conditions, thanks to its storage in a cigarette tin at temperatures reaching -40°C.
What makes this expedition snack truly special is that it's one of the few surviving food items from early polar exploration.
It was part of a massive 3,500-pound chocolate supply that Cadbury's Bournville factory made specifically for Scott's crew.
The chocolate preservation is exceptional – the bar remains wrapped and uneaten, just as it was when it left Birmingham.
The crew depended on chocolate mixed with sugar and hoosh for their daily sustenance during the expedition.
As a tangible link to Captain Scott's first British attempt to reach the South Pole, it represents both confectionery history and polar exploration.
This historical artifact's value rivals modern luxury chocolates, like the Art Series Blend that sells for $685.
Record-Breaking Chocolate Sales Through History
Three record-breaking chocolate sales stand out in confectionery history. When you look at auction history, the 1901 Cadbury's bar from Scott's Antarctic expedition tops the list at $687. The initiative aims to inspire sustainable cacao farming practices worldwide.
Today's chocolate trends show even bigger achievements, with Hershey's creating a 30,540-pound bar in 2007. The Blue Stripes team took 12 hours to assemble their masterpiece using melted chocolate glue.
You'll be amazed by these record-breaking chocolate milestones:
- A century-old coronation chocolate from King Edward VII hitting the auction block in 2024
- Blue Stripes breaking the record for largest chocolate bar at 416 square meters
- The world's biggest chocolate truffle weighing 1,768 pounds
- Las Vegas's chocolate fountain standing 26 feet tall and circulating 2 tons of liquid chocolate
These achievements reflect the industry's growth, with sales expected to reach $44.9 billion by 2026.
The Legacy of Expedition Chocolates
Record-breaking chocolate sales tell only part of the story behind these historic confections.
You'll find that expedition nutrition played a vital role in developing specialized chocolate bars during the late 1800s and early 1900s. These weren't your ordinary candy bars – they were survival tools.
Explorers like Scott, Amundsen, and Shackleton relied on these calorie-dense chocolates during their polar adventures.
The creation of these expedition bars coincided with the rise of Swiss chocolate makers who pioneered new manufacturing techniques. The Industrial Revolution made it possible to produce these specialized bars efficiently and in large quantities.
Chocolate preservation was essential, so manufacturers created special wrappings to protect the bars from extreme temperatures and moisture. They packed these bars with extra fats, sugars, and nutrients to help explorers survive harsh conditions.
Today, you can spot these historic chocolate bars in museums, and collectors pay top dollar for well-preserved specimens.
Modern energy bars still follow the legacy of these expedition chocolates.
