One of Gary Player’s Claret Jugs from his 1974 Open win sold for $481,068 at an auction.
Winners get to keep the original Claret Jug for a year and then receive a replica. This trophy, standing 19 inches tall and 90% the size of the original, is one of three replicas Player received from his wins in 1959 and 1968.
Golden Age Auctions noted that this is the only Claret Jug they’ve ever auctioned. Usually, these trophies end up in museums like the British Golf Museum in St Andrews rather than with private collectors.
Historic Value
The trophy’s value increased because it belonged to one of golf’s legends. Player not only won three Open titles but also six other Majors, tying him with Ben Hogan at nine Major wins. Only Tiger Woods (15) and Jack Nicklaus (18) have more Major titles. Plus, Player is one of just six golfers to achieve a career Grand Slam.
In 1974 at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club, Player showed great skill by defeating Peter Oosterhuis by four shots.
Fans might think it’s amazing how much people are willing to pay for sports memorabilia!
A private bidder met the $5,000 reserve on July 18th. By the end of the auction ten days later, there were 39 bids with the final bid surpassing others by over $80,000.
Recent Trends
Player’s Claret Jug isn’t alone in fetching high prices recently. In 2022, Tiger Woods’ irons from his Tiger Slam sold for $5,156,162 at Golden Age Auctions—setting a new record after Horton Smith’s Green Jacket sold for $682,000 in 2013.
Later that same year, one of Woods’ iconic Sunday red Masters shirts went for over $140,000. And last year saw Rocco Mediate auction items from his memorable defeat against Woods in the 2008 US Open.
What do you think about these crazy high prices?
