Masters gnome goes for jaw-dropping amount in record sale of Augusta memorabilia

Masters gnome goes for jaw-dropping amount in record sale of Augusta memorabilia originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Merchandise is an important part of attending most events. Buying a T-shirt or a poster not only shows off your fandom but also serves as a reminder of the event you attended.

The Masters Tournament is mired in tradition, and that extends to its merchandise. Every year since 2016, except one, a golf gnome has been sold at the tournament, and they have become collector’s items. They are only sold during the tournament and on-site, meaning patrons lucky enough to win the event's ticket lottery are the only ones eligible to buy them.

This exclusivity has made the gnomes highly sought after, and while they aren’t expensive to purchase initially, auctions have seen some wild returns. One of the original 2016 gnomes was brought to auction during the 2026 Masters Tournament and sold for a record amount.

Here is more on the jaw-dropping record sale of a Masters gnome.

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Masters gnome sold for record amount

The 2026 Masters gnome featured the character with an upside-down umbrella and holding a Masters cup. The shock of the figure is that the umbrella can turn upside down and actually be extended, so that theoretically, if it rains, you can run outside and keep your gnome dry. This year's gnome cost about $60 at the tournament, but can be sold for more than 10 times that on the market.

The auction in question wasn't for this year's gnome, but for one from 2016. It is one of the first gnomes sold at the tournament, so its already limited value has just increased. Originally, the gnome was sold for $30 retail, but for collectors, the original is highly sought after, and the price at the auction reflected that.

Initially, the opening bid for the gnome was $300, which was already a 10-times return on the product. When the auction ended, the winning bid was $24,023, plus a "20% buyer's premium," bringing the total price of the gnome to nearly $29,000.