Dear Google Answers, 
I was recently drinking a Faygo Black Cherry Cola, and noticed the
strange little label on the top of the cap.  To me it looks like the
state of West Virginia with a big number 1 in the middle of it.  I
think that it is something to do with recycling but I am not sure.  My
question is: What is this label and what does it mean, and what is the
history of it?  I have a picture of the bottlecap here <a
href="http://neil.cbulock.com/faygo.jpg">http://neil.cbulock.com/faygo.jpg</a>
 Thank you for your assistance.

I, too, had expected that this might be a symbol related to recycling,
but it turns out that the image of West Virginia with a number 1
inside is an indication that the soft drink distributor has paid a
one-cent excise tax levied by West Virginia. The money raised by this
tax goes to the West Virginia University School of Medicine.

"Currently only West Virginia levies an excise tax on soft drinks and
require that soft drink packaging visibly indicate that the tax has
been paid by the distributor. West Virginia law requires that an
outline of the state be inscribed in a 1/4 inch circle on the can end.
The State of West Virginia now allows soft drink distributors who are
bonded in the state to ink-jet the tax information on the bottoms of
cans. The product is in compliance if 'WV1' is ink-jetted on the
bottom regardless of the inscribed outline of the state."

Can Central: Soft Drink Excise Taxes
http://www.cancentral.com/issue9.htm

">Does anyone out there know why there are mini-representations 
 >of the state of West Virginia printed or stamped on almost every 
 >type of beverage can, bottle, two-liter etc.

Because there's a special tax on soft drinks in WV, and they have to
either affix a little teeny tax stamp on each container or print the
state outline with the number inside representing the number of cents
in tax that have been applied.  It's rather like gas pumps having to
have that sticker that states how much of the cost is pure tax.

Why is it everywhere?  Because it's cheaper for the companies just to
print them on EVERY bottle rather than just the WV ones."

Posted in alt.appalachian newsgroup
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=CDqKH3.D6q%40world.std.com&output=gplain

"Each time a Marshall student purchases a soft drink, though they may
not be aware of it, they are helping to finance West Virginia
University's Medical School.

In the 1950's, a one-cent tax was put on soft drinks in the state of
West Virginia. The revenue was directed to the state's only medical
school at WVU."

Marshall Parthenon: Med school will not share soft drink tax
http://www.marshallparthenon.com/news/2002/10/09/News/Med-School.Will.Not.Share.Soft.Drink.Tax-293056.shtml

Google search strategy:

Google Groups Search: "west virginia" "soft drinks"
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=%22west+virginia%22+%22soft+drinks%22&hl=en

Google Web Search: "west virginia" tax "soft drinks"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22west+virginia%22+tax+%22soft+drinks%22

Thanks for an interesting question! If anything is unclear or
incomplete, please request clarification; I'll be glad to offer
further assistance before you rate my answer.

Best regards,
pinkfreud

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Request for Answer Clarification by losergeekneil-ga on 01 Nov 2004 13:36 PST

Does the "WV1" on the bottom of the bottle mean that the tax has been
paid or the outline of West Virginia?  What I mean to say is that does
the "WV1" apply to the cans that are sold in W. Virginia (meaning that
they have paid the tax) or is the "WV1" on all bottles everywhere?

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Clarification of Answer by pinkfreud-ga on 01 Nov 2004 14:01 PST

The WV1 may appear on bottles and cans that are distributed in other
states, although it has no meaning outside West Virginia. It's simpler
for the bottler to put the stamp on all the products than to segregate
the sodas that are destined for distribution to West Virginia.

Great answer, very nice and timely!  Thanks alot!