Comments on: Unloved Antiques: Commemorative Whiskey Decanters

By: Mike Wilcox

Mike Wilcox — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:43:27 +0000

I’d suggest using the “Ask a Worthologist” service for an in depth answer to your question, the Sesquicentennial ones for Texas sell for about $30.00.

By: Rev.Snoopy

Rev.Snoopy — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 05:57:04 +0000

I have an un-opened sesquintenial W.L.Weller bottle-decanter I was wondering what it’s worth.

By: Mike Wilcox

Mike Wilcox — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:27:10 +0000

K-Max,

There always exceptions, but none stand out in my mind without doing a great deal of research. These things were made in thousands of shapes and models, each one requires a separate evaluation of the current market to determine a value.

By: Mike Wilcox

Mike Wilcox — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:24:34 +0000

Hi Norman, I see Elvis selling for $35.00 at times, I guess he’s left the building ;~)

By: K-Max

K-Max — Sat, 21 May 2011 18:00:36 +0000

Are there any decanters of this period that do stand out as worth more such as a 1955 double die penny or a constable wobbly tobacco tin? Are there any that are exponentially worth more than the group as whole?

By: Brian Adams (Cool & Collected)

Brian Adams (Cool & Collected) — Tue, 17 May 2011 13:23:04 +0000

I have a Jim Beam King Kong decanter that was issued to celebrate the 1976 Dino DeLarentiis film. It’s ugly as sin, but I love it! For me, the only reason I bought it was because it was King Kong, not that it was a decanter, so I think thee’s a market for some of these bottles (like the Elvis one mentioned above) to collectors. It may not be worth much value-wise, but I love having it on my shelf.

(If you want to see my ugly King Kong decanter, here’s a link: http://coolandcollected.com/king-kong-kicking-back-with-jim-beam/ )

By: Mike Wilcox

Mike Wilcox — Mon, 16 May 2011 21:11:16 +0000

With the exception of some rare Scottish malts, which are worth more than the container, I price them all as empty.
In the case of your Reagan Inaugural decanter, it has its feet in more than one end of the collecting pool, the deep end being “Presidential collectibles”, the wading end being “General Collectibles/Decanters”. In the case of your Reagan Decanter, it gets a boost because it’s a Presidential Commemorative item of some scarcity, and has a dedicated group of collectors of Presidential Inaugural items that would be interested in it.

I wrote an article about this a while back regarding this issue located here:

http://www.worthpoint.com/article/appraise-item-feet-multiple-markets

By: Joyce Rau

Joyce Rau — Mon, 16 May 2011 02:47:21 +0000

It seems name brand decanters are selling for more on e-bay; such as Kentucky Bourbon or Jack Daniels memorabelia. I should think these or any for that matter would be worth quite a bit more than ten dollars. I sold an Erte’ Courvoisier decanter, full about ten years ago at an antique mall for one hundred dollars. Guess I was lucky to get rid of it.

By: Mark McAmmond

Mark McAmmond — Sun, 15 May 2011 19:57:39 +0000

Hi Melanie,

I have seen your political decanter many times, and have even sold a few of them myself. I’ve seen them go in the $10-$20 range, but that’s about it. Like I mentioned, I continue to see these at many sales I attend, but no longer purchase them for resale since the price is so low.

By: Brigitte

Brigitte — Sat, 14 May 2011 03:28:06 +0000

Well that must be why mine is not selling! lol

By: norman

norman — Fri, 13 May 2011 05:02:04 +0000

In the 70′s I was in a liquor store in south texas, saw an Elvis decanter and didn’t buy it. what would it be worth today?

By: Tom Carrier

Tom Carrier — Fri, 13 May 2011 00:39:30 +0000

True enough, Mike. Just this week I received an email on my Kentucky Derby blog here on WorthPoint asking the value of a 1979 commemorative Derby decanter. The cork was broken, but it was still full of whiskey. The value? According to all recent auctions listed on WorthPoint, the range went from $31 to $108, but it was mostly in the $30 range.

On the other hand, as a dealer I was able to buy a fully sealed commemorative Maker’s Mark bottle issued for Ronald Reagan’s inauguration (it didn’t specify which one) that I was able to resell for near $400. Other political oriented decanters such as ones for the political conventions have sold well at near $100, full or not.

So does being full or not affects the value? In dealing with both types, I have found that being full was problematic even if the final value is somewhat higher. ABC (Alcohol Beverage Control) laws specify where a full decanter can be sold and how. For example, you can’t sell it online and ship it to another state and it can’t be sold out in the open such as an antique shop even if it is labeled as collectible (although that might be different where you are). My Reagan inaugural decanter became a private sale, because of the restrictions.

If it is full, how do you determine its value? That was the problem I had with the Reagan inaugural commemorative decanter. There were no auction records for a similar one being sold or even anything as helpful as WorthPoint several years ago. If it is an unusual commemorative beyond the mass produced ones, consider visiting the nearest ABC store, find out what the highest value of the special editions of the liquor you have is being sold for and add $50 or so.

So, in the final analysis just enjoy the whiskey, but keep the cork and the state stamps as intact as possible. You’ll be able to sell the decanter for less, but you’ll jump through less hoops when trying to sell your collection.

Prosit!

Tom Carrier
Worthologist

By: DDW

DDW — Thu, 12 May 2011 23:49:38 +0000

How about a decanter of Pope John Paul II? Now that he’s become a saint, would the decanter value be different?

By: Melanie Loza

Melanie Loza — Thu, 12 May 2011 21:43:08 +0000

I have a decanter that is dated 1960 and is representative of both political parties: a donkey with an elephant trunk. It is quite unusual and I am wondering if it is worth anything?