The hot collectible these days are the Starbucks City Coffee Mugs. The first City collection was introduced in 1995 and was the ‘Icon Series’ followed by the ‘Collage Series’ and then the ‘Skyline Series’. Now there is the jumbo-sized ‘City Mugs Series’.
My research as of the writing of this article discovered a auction back in 2010 where a rare 1994 Starbucks City Mug Minneapolis St. Paul, sold for $1,500. It is also rumored that one sold prior for $2,000. In 2004 a woman paid upwards of $1,000 for one of the Starbucks City mugs. In 2009 eBay auction a 1994 New Orleans 20 oz. mug that displayed a Bourbon Street sign sold for over $528.00 and in another auction another mug of the same city sold for over $800! As of the writing of this article, there is a 1994 New Orleans Starbucks City Mug on eBay for $645.00.
The first version of the Starbucks Coffee Istanbul mug is pretty rare and hard to find and is really neat as it has a depiction of the Evil Eye on the mug and the Evil Eye is a common symbol amongst the countries in the Middle East and Mediterranean. There is an Istanbul mug on eBay right now for $499.00! Starbucks Barcelona 1994 Series Prototype City Mug on eBay for $499.00. This particular Barcelona mug is rare and collectible because it was a prototype at only 14oz. rather than the typical 16oz. and the bottom of this mug is blank.
Another collectible mug right now is the Starbucks City Mug – Lisboa/Lisbon Portugal and on eBay it is currently $499 and has bids, wonder how high it will go!
If you have been collecting the Starbucks City Mugs your collection at auction can net you some amazingly high dollars! Right now on eBay there is a listing for ‘48 Starbucks Skyline Series City Mugs Made in 2000’ and the current price is $10,000 and includes all these mugs: Alaska, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Calgary w/ inscription, Canada, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Headquarters, Honolulu, Houston, Indianapolis, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Montreal, Napa Valley, New Orleans, New York w/ large logo, Niagara Falls, Palm Springs, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pike Place Market w/ inscription, Pittsburgh, Portland, Raleigh, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco w/ large logo, Seattle w/ sea plane, St. Louis, St. Paul, Tampa, Toronto w/ & w/out inscription, Vancouver w/ inscription, Victoria w/ inscription, Washington D.C.
In short, your Starbucks mugs can worth a lot of money so don’t throw them out or get rid of them. Do a little research to determine the value and keep them safe from damage and stains. You could be collecting your way to Big Bucks!!
Pics from:
http://purplehazenz.tripod.com/
http://www.mymetrophoto.com/archives/3806
http://custommugs.pro/starbucks-city-mug-collection/
http://starbuckscitymugs.wordpress.com/
http://chickyjava.blogspot.com/2011/01/starbucks-mugs-from-around-world.html
