Sep 12, 2022
What Is The Most Expensive Jim Beam Decanter?
I get a lot of letters asking for assistance in evaluating the worth of decanters, and I’m always happy to help. The state is the most essential component. Those that are missing labels or pieces, have cracks or breaks, or are otherwise damaged obviously do not have the same value as bottles that have not been used and are in perfect shape.
- Labels are essential since they not only reveal the manufacturer but also constitute a physical component of the container itself.
- Most Beams come with some type of a box or container.
- For a great number of collectors, this makes a significant difference in the value.
- A coin with a hole in it is not worth as much as it would be, and the same is true for a bottle that is damaged or is missing its cork.
It’s only missing some key components. That is not to imply that people won’t purchase that bottle; in fact, it’s likely that someone will. Some people even collect components and labels with the intention of selling them or using them to finish a bottle that they have in their collection.
Decanters for Jim Beam available on ebay The question regarding the worth of the bottle that is asked the most often to me is “what is the value of the bottle if it is full and the seal is unbroken?” My response is consistent at all times. The bottle itself, and not the contents within it, is of interest to collectors.
Without the proper authorization, selling alcoholic beverages is against the law. There have been instances in which ATF officers have actually arrested individuals for the crime of selling full decanters to customers. Don’t take any chances; consume everything in the bottle.
- After a significant amount of time has passed, the contents of the bottle may cause damage to certain decanters.
- The bottles have the potential to break and stain the outside.
- This would, without a doubt, have a detrimental impact on the value.
- The spirit contained in the bottle will not mature with the passage of time.
Only oak kegs are used for the aging process. There is no point in keeping the liquor in the decanter; pour it out and enjoy it instead. Wheels, the series that Beams produced, is one of their most popular and most sought-after collections. In 1972, Beam introduced the world to their very first “Wheels” decanter.
It is an Oldsmobile from the year 1903. The price tag on the bottle is thirty dollars. The value skyrocketed in the 1970s and 1980s as a direct result of the item’s enormous popularity throughout those decades. This is not an unusual characteristic of bottles. In the sixties, Jim Beam was having such a successful run with their decanters that there was a proliferation of bottle shops and drinking establishments all over the place.
Around the world, there were hundreds of thousands of collectors in addition to thousands of clubs. Naturally, as a result of this interest, the prices went up. As a result of the growing demand, other distributors eventually came to their senses and started producing their very own decanters.
- While some businesses produced thousands of a single kind of bottle, others, like Sky Country and Lionstone, manufactured limited editions of their products.
- These bottles from a limited edition are quite valuable even at the present day and will continue to do so over the course of time.
- The Beams Wheel series features a number of bottles that come at a premium price.
The Gold Semi 18 Wheeler Decanter, which was produced in 1991, is the most costly piece in the collection. The suggested retail price is $3,000.00. This is the bottle in the Beam collection that is considered to be the most precious. The First National Bank bottle is the one that has brought the greatest notoriety to Beam.
Beam Customers is the appropriate heading for this topic.1964 was the year it was produced, and the First National Bank of Chicago’s board members were the only people to get copies. On the decanter is inscribed the names of all of the members of the board. These bottles are extremely hard to come by and have a stated price of $1,584.00.
Like the Oldsmobile, they have gone down in price as the enthusiasm in bottle collecting started to diminish in the 80’s. It is not unusual for me to get a list of bottles from a person who has recently acquired a collection that was previously amassed by a member of their family.
- The vast majority of the time, they are interested in finding out the value, and they are often surprised to learn that Grandpa’s collection is not worth as much as it was twenty years ago.
- Why did people stop participating in this hobby? I believe that this was caused by a combination of a few different things.
The distillers were enjoying such a high level of success with the production of decanters that they proceeded to produce an increasing number of decanters each year. They were responsible for inundating the market with bottles. It was not an inexpensive option to purchase these bottles brand new from your neighborhood liquor store.
The price of the new decanters is significantly more than that of the regular bottles seen in stores. I began my collecting career by focusing on political bottles. In 1988, I believe I paid $89.00 for each of the final Politicals that were available. These bottles don’t even come close to being worth that much now.
Everything boils down to the supply and demand of the market. Investing in a Jim Beam pricing guide is the most reliable approach to ascertain the worth of your collection of decanters. There are a few different options available. Jim Beam produced a few of these over the years, but they are obsolete at this point.
However, they are wonderful resources due to the fact that they contain images of the bottles, the most of which are in color, as well as a concise account of the history of each decanter. There are also a number of vintage guides that focus specifically on bottles. Kovells is consistently ranked as one among the greatest, and new issues are released every year.
The one I use is a compact paperback that folds up neatly and can be carried in a handbag or back pocket with ease. MARIO’S PRICE GUIDE TO MODERN BOTTLES is the name of this publication. Unfortunately, Mario passed away toward the end of 2001, and as a result, this price guide is no longer available.
- Editor’s note: It provides information on more distilleries than any other book that I have seen.
- A whole new edition is published each quarter, thanks to Mario.
- I believe that most serious book collectors consider this to be the best book available.
- The price of a single issue is $6.00, which includes the cost of delivery.
There is a lesser cost for additional books that may be purchased. Send your money to Mario Latello at 146 Sheldon Avenue, Depew, New York 14043, in order to place an order for this book. It’s a handy small reference book, and I can’t speak highly enough about it.
When you place an order for his book, he will add your name to his mailing list and send you a list of the bottles he currently has available for purchase. I have a suspicion that he also consigns bottles. In addition to that, he provides a desire list for those of his subscribers who are on the hunt for bottles.
Auctioning off Decanters of Jim Beam Whiskey Other Jim Beam Columns The Bottles Course Determining Values Collecting Decanters for Investment Collector’s Edition of Jim Beam Whiskey Decanters Other China Decanter Bottle Makers Jim Beam Overview
Contents
How many different Jim Beam decanters are there?
A Few Final Thoughts – Now that you are completely armed with information on Jim Beam decanters, you are ready to start looking for these historically significant and financially rewarding goods. Having said that, you really must keep the following things in mind.
- Decanters of Jim Beam are extremely delicate and need to be handled with extreme caution.
- The fundamental worth and visual appeal of bottles are diminished when pieces or chips are broken off.
- There are 15 different collections of Jim Beam decanters that have ever been made, and the celebration bottles are the ones that are used the most often.
Always make sure you remember to pour out the contents of the bottle. When it comes to collecting, the contents of the item are irrelevant.
Can you drink old Jim Beam decanter?
Is a Decanter an Appropriate Container for Storing Bourbon? – Let’s go ahead and wrap up our discussion with a few words on decanters. Decanters come with a seal that is not quite as airtight as those found on bottles. Because of this, keeping bourbon in one of these containers is a somewhat subpar method of storage when compared to keeping it in a bottle.
Do they still make Jim Beam decanters?
First published on July 1, 1992, and most recently updated on October 11, 2005 When the last ring-necked duck rolls off the line later this month, it will be a sad day for those who enjoy pouring their bourbon from porcelain animals. Jim Beam Brands Cos., the only major distiller that still sells whiskey in the glorified clay jugs, has plans to shut down its decanter-making unit, Regal China Corp., of Antioch, Illinois, on June 30.
- This decision was made because Jim Beam Brands Cos.
- Is the only major distiller that still does this.
- The event belatedly marks the passage of a harder-drinking age, during which people built bars instead of weight rooms in their basements and considered a booze-filled car, duck, or Elvis to be a doubly attractive gift that you could drink and then display in the future.
“We used to appeal to an older generation that built rec rooms in their basements in the 1950s and ’60s,” said Craig Smith, chairman of Regal China and a senior vice president of Beam based in Deerfield, Illinois. “Now, however, we appeal to a younger generation that built rec rooms in their basements in the 1990s.” “When people stopped creating wet bars in their rec rooms, they stopped building shelves behind the bars and when they stopped building shelves, they stopped buying decanters,” said Smith.
When people stopped putting shelves behind the bars, they stopped buying decanters.” China liquor decanters, which have a capacity of 750 milliliters, often known as a “fifth,” originally made their debut in the middle of the 1950s at liquor stores and quickly found a thirsty market. Over the course of the last 35 years, distilleries provided customers with an incredible selection of vibrant ceramic containers, many of which were valuable and regarded as having an air of sophistication.
According to Smith, distillers started utilizing the ornate bottles to give the impression to customers that they were receiving something special when they purchased spirits that were older than 8 years. According to him, the increased price of the aged liquor was due to the inclusion of a federal excise tax that is no longer in effect.
Some distilleries that make Scotch and Canadian whiskey still bottle their finest spirits in porcelain decanters, but this practice is becoming less common. However, glazed containers are most commonly associated with bourbon, and more specifically with Beam, which is the industry’s most prolific manufacturer.
According to Shirley Sumbles, executive secretary of the International Association of Jim Beam Bottle and Specialties Clubs in Downers Grove, Illinois, Beam has marketed between 800 and 900 models since 1955. The company began with a straightforward black container with a white stopper that was known as the Royal Porcelain design.
In recent years, Beam has focused on creating more ornate bottles. The environmental organization Ducks Unlimited has commissioned a ring-necked duck to serve as the final Beam decanter produced by Regal. Smith stated that Regal would create 13,500 copies, each of which is anticipated to sell for between $89 and $100, and a portion of the revenues from the sales will be donated to the organization.
Beam, which is a part of American Brands Inc. and is located in Greenwich, Connecticut, has had discussions with other china firms about the prospect of creating more decanters. However, “at this time, it seems improbable,” said Smith. According to Ms. Sumbles, the announcement that the Regal facility will be shutting has not yet had an influence on collector pricing.
- She stated that in most cases, when a factory shuts down or something is taken out of production, the item in question increases in value rather than decreasing in value. Ms.
- Sumbles stated that the Royal Porcelain model, which had previously been sold for a price ranging from $15 to $20, was valued at $375 at the end of the month of May.
The most expensive piece is a blue-and-gold decanter that was commissioned in 1964 by the First National Bank of Chicago to celebrate the bank’s centennial. Its value is $2,400. Only 100 were created and the bank distributed them as presents to its directors and friends, she added.
- There is no difference in price between a full and an empty decanter.
- We are not bourbon collectors; rather, we are bottle collectors.
- The bourbon is consumed by us “Ms.
- Sumbles remarked.
- According to Smith, the sales of decanters reached their pinnacle in the late 1970s.
- Beam’s unit sales have dropped significantly over the years, from 700,000 in 1980 to 150,000 last year.
In response, the corporation has decreased the number of its manufacturing runs and substantially increased their pricing. According to him, the selling price of the decanters was around $12 in the 1970s, when a normal production run consisted of 40,000 to 100,000 units.
These days, a production run of 20,000 pieces is regarded to be significant, and the selling price for the decanters is between $80 and $100. According to Smith, Beam has significantly increased the price of decanters since the 1970s because the company has been forced to distribute increasing production expenses across a smaller number of units.
He stated that in the 1980s, Beam attempted to revitalize sales by focusing on certain categories of consumers. It manufactured reproductions of fire chief cars and fire helmets for firemen, taxicabs for taxi drivers, and even a music-playing leprechaun and a Nutcracker soldier aimed to appeal to female customers.
- Smith lamented that “unfortunately, it just didn’t catch on” when asked about the phenomenon.
- The events of the previous few years have demonstrated that regardless of what they decide to do, there will be an ongoing decrease in demand.
- Beam’s competitor, the McCormick Distilling Company of Weston, Missouri, had some success with niche marketing for a period.
In 1978, McCormick poured its bourbon into an unique Elvis decanter, and the company found itself for the first time in a position to sell its product on a national scale. The first production run of 80,000 jumpsuit Elvis bottles was insufficient to meet the demand.
“People grew irate because they couldn’t buy them,” said Bob Harness, the designer of that model and 36 following Elvis decanters for McCormick. Harness was responsible for designing all of the Elvis decanters. According to him, the most recent one, named Elvis Memories, was released in 1987 and sold at retail for a price of $399.95.
It was based on a portrait of the King that can be found at Graceland.
Why did Jim Beam make decanters?
These decanters were initially manufactured by Jim Beam in 1953, and according to Fred Noe, the chief distiller for the firm, “it was a means for us to get rid of old bourbon.” [Citation needed]
How long can you keep bourbon in a decanter?
How Long Does Whiskey Last When Placed In A Decanter? The shelf life of whiskey stored in a lead-free decanter can range anywhere from two months to three years, depending on the amount of alcohol that is contained within the decanter. Alterations in temperature, humidity, and light levels, as well as the presence or absence of an airtight seal on the decanter, are some of the other elements that can extend the whiskey’s shelf life in the decanter.
Does bourbon go bad if unopened?
History: What Are Jim Beam Decanters Worth?
Does Bourbon Go Bad? – The shelf life of bourbon is not all that dissimilar to the shelf life of whiskey in general. A bottle of bourbon that has not been opened cannot go bad. You can preserve it for decades. However, after a bottle of bourbon has been opened, it has anywhere between one and two years before it turns bad.
How much is a Jim Beam bottle?
Questions that are asked most frequently regarding Jim Beam – How much does a bottle of Jim Beam cost in the United States? In the United States, a 750-milliliter bottle of Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey may be purchased for around $15.99. The most premium bottles, like as Jim Beam’s Distiller’s Masterpiece, retail for significantly higher costs, such as $279.99 for each 750-milliliter bottle.
- Is Jim Beam better than Jack Daniels? Both Jim Beam and Jack Daniels are extremely well-liked options.
- Jack Daniels is commonly considered to be a smoother whiskey, despite the fact that Jim Beam is significantly more affordable.
- Is Jim Beam a high-quality brand of bourbon whiskey? Because it is the brand of bourbon whiskey that is consumed the most all over the world, Jim Beam is an excellent option.
Bulleit, Maker’s Mark, and Blantons are three other brands that frequently make our top recommendations. Where can I get Jim Beam on the internet? Jim Beam delivery may be quickly and easily arranged online from a wide variety of shops, including well-known websites such as Drizly and ReserveBar.
Who makes Jim Beam bottles?
Links to other websites: The Wikimedia Commons has content with regards to Jim Beam. Website that is official.
How do I know if my decanter is worth anything?
Learn How to Determine the Value of Your Decanter – Discovering the brand name of the company that made your decanter is an important step in establishing its value. To prevent it from rolling away, prop your decanter up on its side between two books.
- Examine the item’s base with the use of a magnifying lens to locate the maker’s mark.
- Place particular emphasis on the middle, as well as the area along the edge.
- It is also possible for you to use a loupe in order to examine the level surface on the bottom.
- Once you have found a mark, a decanter pricing guide, such as Miller’s Antique Handbook and Price Guide or Jim Beam Figural Bottles: An Unauthorized Collector’s Guide, will come in useful for reference.
The state that the decanter is in should also be taken into consideration if you are thinking about reselling it. Used decanters are not as valuable as those that are brand new in the box in immaculate condition. Your decanter’s value will decrease if it sustains any damage, particularly around the lip and base.
How old is my Jim Beam bottle?
Dates on the glass: the vast majority of bottle producers etched the year into the glass at the base of the bottle using a format consisting of two digits. When gazing at the bottom, it is frequently located at the lowest right corner of the section (some dates are much easier to distinguish than others).
- In most cases, this will tell you when the whiskey was bottled, often to within a year or two.
- On the same bottle, you may discover two different two-digit numbers, frequently separated by a space or a dash.
- This happens sometimes.
- In most cases, the first two digits refer to the “liquor bottle permit number” and will indicate the company and factory that manufactured the bottle.
In these kinds of situations, the last two digits will typically indicate the year that the bottle was manufactured. Permit numbers for liquor bottles were necessary beginning around the year 1935 and were in effect until the 1970s or 1980s. This page has a collection of permit numbers starting in 1969 that you may access.
How long will Jim Beam last unopened?
Once the bottle is opened, bourbon will no longer be drinkable after its expiration date has passed. If it is not properly stored and kept away from all sources of light, bourbon and all of its premium attributes will only have a shelf life of two to eight months.
How much is a Jim Beam bottle?
Frequently asked questions about Jim Beam – How much does a bottle of Jim Beam cost in the United States? In the United States, a 750-milliliter bottle of Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey may be purchased for around $15.99. The most premium bottles, like as Jim Beam’s Distiller’s Masterpiece, retail for significantly higher costs, such as $279.99 for each 750-milliliter bottle.
- Is Jim Beam better than Jack Daniels? Both Jim Beam and Jack Daniels are extremely well-liked options.
- Jack Daniels is commonly considered to be a smoother whiskey, despite the fact that Jim Beam is significantly more affordable.
- Is Jim Beam a high-quality brand of bourbon whiskey? Because it is the brand of bourbon whiskey that is consumed the most all over the world, Jim Beam is an excellent option.
Bulleit, Maker’s Mark, and Blantons are three other brands that frequently make our top recommendations. Where can I get Jim Beam on the internet? Jim Beam delivery may be quickly and easily arranged online from a wide variety of shops, including well-known websites such as Drizly and ReserveBar.