10 Rarest and Most Valuable Starbucks Mugs: Value Guide

Founded on 30th March 1971, Starbucks has grown to become an iconic coffee chain that has fans in every corner of the world. The company’s success can be attributed to its high-quality coffee, a high level of hospitality, great branding, and its gorgeous merchandise.

Among the company’s merchandise are the Starbucks mugs. These mugs have an expansive collector’s craze around them. People have been known to collect different thematic Starbucks mugs, from country-themed, Christmas specials and coffee-producing places to Disney specials.

With the demand for Starbucks mugs rising among collectors, their price has also been on the rise. Today, the most valuable Starbuck mugs will cost you $2,000 on the lower end and can go as high as $12,000. In this detailed guide, we will take a deeper look at the rarest – and costliest – Starbucks mugs.

10 Extremely Rare and Most Valuable Starbucks Mugs

No.
Starbucks Mug
Year Sold
Cost
1. 
Edmonton City Mug
2020
$12,000
2. 
Charlotte Coffee Mug
2020
$5,661
3. 
Geography Japan Set
2022
$5,000
4. 
Autumn MD Animal Bear Mug
2021
$3,190
5. 
CULIACAN VHTF Mexico Icon Mug
2019
$3,040
6. 
Zacatecas VHTF Mug
2021
$2,800
7. 
Zagreb Starbucks Mug
2018
$2,500
8. 
Corfu Greece Mug
2021
$2,250
9. 
Minneapolis Mug
2018
$2,200
10. 
Monterrey Mexico Mug
2020
$2,110

1. Edmonton City Mug $12,000

Edmonton City Mug
Edmonton City Mug

The most valuable Starbucks mug, the Edmonton City Mug was designed and produced in 2009. The 16-ounce mug had a blue inside and a white outside that combined interesting pictures and its name.

According to the seller, the Edmonton mug was still in perfect condition at the sale time. The mug did not feature any cracks or signs of wear. Sold on eBay on August, 28th 2020, the Starbucks Mug was sold at $12,000.

2. Charlotte Coffee Mug $5,661

Charlotte Coffee Mug
Charlotte Coffee Mug

Designed as part of the City Collector Series, the Starbucks Charlotte Mug came out in 2011. The 16-ounce mug featured a red inside. On the outside, it had a Charlotte Global City icon.

The fact that the mug was in excellent condition at the time of purchase gave it a higher price. Sold on eBay on August, 28th 2020, the rare Starbucks mug brought in a total of $5,661.

3. Geography Japan Set $5,000

Starbucks Mug Geography Japan Series 2013
Starbucks Mug Geography Japan Series 2013

Created in 2013, the Geography Japan set caries a total of 9 Starbucks mugs. Each of these mugs represents a major city in Japan, including, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Kyoto, and Tokyo.

The Geography Japan Set is currently listed on eBay. The set has a price tag of $5,000 attached to it. For this price, the seller indicates that the buyer will get a brand-new set – the Starbucks mugs have never been used before.

4. Autumn MD Animal Bear Mug $3,190

Official 2021 Autumn MD Autumn Animal Bear Mug
Official 2021 Autumn MD Autumn Animal Bear Mug

Designed by Starbucks Korea in 2021, Autumn MD Animal Bear Mug is a rare specimen that can hold 237 ml. Like other mugs on this list, the animal bear mug is made of ceramic.

At the time of sale, the Autumn MD Animal Bear Mug was still in good condition. Sold in a “like-new” condition, the mug did not feature signs of wear or any cracks. Sold on September 29, 2021, the Starbucks mug had a final price of $3,190.

5. CULIACAN VHTF Mexico Icon Mug $3,040

CULIACAN VHTF Mexico Icon Mug
CULIACAN VHTF Mexico Icon Mug

Designed to reflect the capital of Sinaloa in Mexico, CULIACAN VHTF Mexico Icon Mug has a drawing of the famous Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary. The mug has a dark blue inside and combines several colors on its outside, including white as the canvas, brown as the drawing ink, and black which is used for writing the mug’s name.

The CULIACAN VHTF Mexico Icon Mug was sold on February 9th, 2019 on eBay. According to the seller, the Mug was in good condition and did not have any signs of wear. The Starbucks mug sold for $3,040.

6. Zacatecas VHTF Mug $2,800

Zacatecas VHTF Mug
Zacatecas VHTF Mug

A location-based Starbucks mug, the Zacatecas VHTF Mug was designed to represent a Mexican State by the name of Zacatecas. The prominent drawing on the mug’s side is the Aqueduct Of Zacatecas.

At the time of sale, this rare Starbucks mug was in great condition. According to the seller, the mug was still brand new and had never been used before. The Zacatecas VHTF Mug was sold on December 28, 2021, on eBay. The buyer spent $2,800 on the Starbucks mug.

Worth Knowing:  Mexico requires INBAL authorization in order to use pictures of pre-Columbian artwork which Starbucks did not deem to be worth the effort to get for this mug. It therefore had to be discontinued.

7. Zagreb Starbucks Mug $2,500

Zagreb Starbucks Mug
Zagreb Starbucks Mug

Another location-based Starbucks mug, the Zagreb mug was designed to represent the capital of Croatia. On its side, the mug has a drawing of the Croatian National Theatre located in Zagreb City.

Manufactured as a part of the Global Icon Series, the Zagreb Starbucks Mug can carry 437 milliliters. The extremely rare Starbucks Mug was listed on eBay and sold for $2,500 on September 25th, 2018.

Worth Knowing:  Starbucks once planned to open stores in Croatia but never did. This mug was a prototype and with a whole batch produced however never sold officially by Starbucks. Several mugs are circulating in the Collectors community though.

8. Corfu Greece Mug $2,250

Corfu Greece Mug
Corfu Greece Mug

The Corfu Greece Mug was produced in 2009. The extremely rare mug is a location-based collectible representing Greece’s island of Corfu. The mug carries an image of the Spianada Square, which happens to be a leading tourist attraction in Corfu Island.

The Starbucks mug was sold in 2021 on eBay in a “like-new” condition. Being extremely rare and in excellent condition, the Corfu Green Starbucks mug was sold for $2,250.

9. Minneapolis Mug $2,200

Minneapolis Mug
Minneapolis Mug

Designed as part of the City Mug Series, Minneapolis Mug was produced in 1994. The mug had a 20-ounce capacity.

Designed as a collectible, Starbucks Mug was never used by the first buyer. As such, the cup remained in a “like-new” condition until it was resold again on October 16th, 2018. Sold on eBay in its original packaging, the Starbucks mug attracted a total price of $2,200.

10. Monterrey Mexico Mug $2,110

Monterrey Mexico Mug
Monterrey Mexico Mug

Advertised as an extremely rare Starbucks Mug, the Monterrey Mexico Mug is a location-based collectible. Just like its name suggests, the Monterrey Mexico Mug was designed to represent the city of Monterrey.

According to the seller, the cup was in perfect condition – with zero chips, zero cracks, and zero scratches – at the time it was sold. Originally listed on eBay in 2019, the Starbucks Mug sold on January 4th, 2020 at $2,110.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why Are Starbucks Mugs So Expensive?

After going through this guide on the rarest and most valuable Starbucks mugs, you may want to know why a Starbucks mug would cost $12,000. Below, we will take a look at some of the reasons why Starbucks Mugs are expensive:

High Demand

The demand for all things Starbucks has been on the rise. According to an article published on the CNN website, demand for mugs has been growing significantly since the March of 2020.

The CNN article cites a resale site known as Poshmark which reported that orders for Starbucks mugs increased by over 100% since March 2020.

The CNN article also reports that the searches for Starbucks mugs have also been growing on another resale site known as OfferUp. According to OfferUp, the Search Term ‘Starbucks Mugs” has quickly climbed on the company’s trending search lists.

As you probably already know, as demand for an item grows, its price also increases. With the demand for Starbuck mugs being high, it is expected that their prices may also be high.

Rarity

Starbucks only produces a limited number of mugs in each series. These limited cups are initially only made available in licensed stores – including, Safeway’s and Target.

This means that finding an original Starbucks Mug is extremely hard. In almost all cases, rare collectibles feature a higher price.

Customers

Starbucks has been known to sell high-priced coffee. Despite the high price, people still drink the company’s coffee.

This suggests that people who often buy products from Starbucks have enough money to spend on expensive merchandise. This could be one of the reasons why Starbucks Mugs sell at extremely high prices.

Low Competition

While there are other mugs in the market, buyers interested in Starbucks products will rarely collect mugs from other manufacturers. This positions Starbucks as the sole supplier of its collectible mugs. The fact that the company is not competing with other manufacturers could raise the price of Starbucks Mugs.

How Much Are Starbucks Mugs Worth?

The value of Starbucks Mugs is not fixed. This value varies as follows:

Rare Starbucks Mugs Can Fetch Over $10,000

It is not uncommon for Starbucks to sell mugs linked to particular regions and cities. These location-based Starbucks mugs have turned into collectibles.

The rarest of these Starbucks mugs could set you back over $10,000. A good example is the first mug in this article. To get this mug, you will need to spend $12,000.

Out of Production Mugs Could Cost Over $5000

If Starbucks has stopped producing a particular mug, this means that the supply for the mug will keep dwindling. With a reducing supply – and growing demand for the specific mug – the cost of the mug will keep increasing.

Today, Starbucks does not produce Disney mugs. The original Starbucks Disney mugs could be worth over $5000.

Cartoon Mugs Could Set You Back Over $1000

Starbucks mugs carrying well-known cartoons – for example, Looney Toons and Snoopy/Peanuts mugs – could have a high value. It is not uncommon for these mugs to have a price above $1000.

Superhero Mugs Could set You Back Over $500

Any Starbucks Mug featuring a superhero from a well-known book could set you back over $500. Famous superheroes – such as Batman and Superman – will always be more expensive than mugs featuring less popular characters.

Starbucks Mugs Featuring Movies or TV Shows from the 1980s and Earlier Could Cost $1,500+

There are numerous Hollywood memorabilia collectors. With high demand, Starbucks Mugs tied to popular productions and actors may cost over $1,500.

Who Makes Starbucks Mugs?

Since 2012, Starbucks has been manufacturing its mugs in the United States. According to an article published in the New York Times, the company partnered with a small company located in Ohio to bring manufacturing work back to the USA.

Owned by Ulrich Honighausen, the small company known as Hausenware supplies the tumblers, mugs, and other items used and sold by Starbucks today.

Can You Buy Starbucks Cups Online?

Starbucks allowed its customers to order cups online for the first time in 2020. This eliminated the need to rush to the store to pick up a new cup before it goes out of stock.

To order a Starbucks cup online, all you will have to do is download the Starbucks app. Once the app is installed on your phone, you will need to go to the “order’ section, tap Menu, and then scroll down to “Drinkware”.

The Drinkware section will give you access to the Starbucks cups that are currently available. If you would like to see whether the cup you are interested in is at another store in a different location, all you will have to do is change the location on the app.

What Cups Can You Get with Starbucks Rewards?

In 2021, Starbucks announced that it will be sending out coupons for free merchandise. The company indicated that it will be sending Its Rewards members coupons that can be used for merchandise worth $20 pre-tax.

This suggests that members of the Starbucks Rewards program can only use their points to purchase Starbucks cups with a maximum cost of $20.

How to Know When Starbucks Release New Cups?

Currently, Starbucks does not have a system that allows its customers to track the releases of new cups and mugs. However, customers can use the Starbucks app to track the release of new products.

To track the release of new cups, all you will have to do is visit the Drinkables section in the Starbucks application.

Conclusion

If there is anything people love more than Starbucks coffee, it is the company’s incredible merchandise. Ranging from shiny and bright cold cups to themed tumblers and mugs, the coffee giant features something for everyone.

A large number of collectors often go for rare and highly-valued Starbucks Mugs. While it is possible to find Starbucks mugs at a price below $100, you will rarely find a valuable – or very rare – Starbucks mug at a price below $1000.

In this detailed guide, we have taken a deeper look at the most valuable Starbucks mugs. If you feel there is something we left out, do not hesitate to let us know in the comment section.

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