Finding These Valuable Starbucks Mugs At A Thrift Shop Means You've Hit The Jackpot

Since the invention of eBay, kids have stared longingly at boxed action figures they are forbidden to play with, in the hopes those toys will pay for their college one day. But as everyone started saving and selling their collectibles, those items no longer had value (we are looking at you, Beanie Babies). It can be hard to predict what will be worth a pretty penny in the future, and many people have probably hung on to useless items unnecessarily, or worse, unknowingly donated valuables. 

A few unknown valuables that could be in your kitchen right now are Starbucks mugs and tumblers. Ordinarily, decluttering coffee mugs that take up precious cabinet space is encouraged. But before you throw them in a box headed for Goodwill, check eBay. Starbucks mugs and tumblers can fetch several hundred dollars, especially if they are rare limited editions, like the Starbucks x Stanley collaboration tumblers from Asia. While you probably want to keep your cabinets neat and tidy and purge — rather than purchase — more coffee mugs, finding these valuable limited edition Starbucks mugs at a thrift shop could mean you've hit the jackpot. One TikTok commenter said she found a Starbucks tumbler for $7 at a thrift store, and sold it for $365. With a suggested retail price of a tumbler around $23 at Starbucks, that's a great return on investment. 

Starbucks comes out with several new limited edition series every season. Because its merchandise is constantly changing, people have a limited window to purchase the items they want before they are off of shelves forever. So while everyone you know may have a Starbucks mug or tumbler in their home, chances are they all look different. Another thing that makes individual Starbucks items so rare is that they are only available in stores and not on the site. That means for the popular "You Are Here" series, you actually have to be there. 

Starbucks mug and tumbler mania hit a peak a couple of years ago, with some highly sought after items selling for upwards of $1,000. Sadly, everyone quickly caught on, and the market saturation has lowered the prices. They are still one type of coffee mug you should never skip if you see it at the thrift store (and for goodness' sake hang on to your current collection), but the ROI may be closer to $20 to $200 depending on demand.