Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. In addition to its Starbucks retail stores, the company produces a wide range of branded consumer products globally, including ready-to-drink beverages, packaged coffees and premium ice creams.
Such is the case with the crown cap, the ubiquitous, indispensable style of bottle cap found on beer and soft drink bottles around the world, created in 1891 by William Painter. Born in Ireland in 1838, Painter, at the age of 20, immigrated to the United States in search of better opportunities.
The crown was worth five shillings (a shilling being 12 pre-decimal pence) until decimalisation in February 1971, and was also the basis of other denominations such as the half crown and double crown. The last five shilling piece was minted in 1965. The crown coin was nicknamed the dollar, but is not to be confused with the British trade dollar that circulated in the Orient. In 2014, a new world record price was achieved for a milled silver crown. The coin was issued as a pattern by engraver Thomas Simon in 1663 and nicknamed the Reddite Crown.