Once upon a time, if you bought Coca Cola (or one of its rivals) in bulk, it didn't come in a cardboard box, or plastic packaging. It arrived in a purpose-built wooden crate. If your parents or grandparents bought one, they might have re-purposed that crate for a number of reasons. Perhaps it became an unconventional trough for plants, or storage for old magazines.
As with anything vintage and branded, there's now a high demand for these crates within the collector's market. The most prized item out there is a 1948 crate in yellow, which is worth $200. Don't worry if you don't have that one though - most of them from in or around that era are worth more than $100 to the right buyer, even if they're not in great condition. If you have one in the yard, maybe it's time to bring it inside!