TL;DR
Bell's commemorative whisky decanters have plummeted from over £1,000 to under £30 due to market saturation and fewer collectors. The whisky inside is standard. Owners can try to sell via auction or, once empty, sell the decorative decanter itself on platforms like eBay.
So, you are a collector of whisky in 2022. The fluctuation in the value of these Bell’s decanters during the 1990s holds lessons for current whisky collectors and investors, even though you may not find them relevant.
How much does Bells Whisky cost?
In this video, Mark analyses the market shifts over the past three decades that have reduced the value of Bell’s commemorative decanters from £1,200 to less than £30 at auction, assuming you can locate an auction house to sell them for you.
The fact is that Bell’s decanters have an attractive exterior, but the whisky within is identical to the whisky in the standard glass bottles. People purchased and collected these bottles due to their appearance and the message they made about their owner (followers of our YouTube channels may notice some parallels with the current market there). In addition, they were also gathered as royal souvenirs.
In the last thirty years, the whisky industry has evolved significantly, and there are fewer royal memorabilia collectors. This, along with the prohibition on selling booze on eBay and Facebook, signaled the end of Bell’s Decanter period.
How should a Bell’s Decanter be used?
Unfortunately, several auction companies have ceased listing Bell’s Decanters altogether. There are too many of them, they do not sell well, and when they do sell, their non-standard form makes them difficult to export.
If you have a bottle or collection of bells, you have a few options:
Find an auction house willing to list it for you.
Once empty, you can sell the decanters on eBay after appreciating their sentimentality.
Frequently Asked QuestionsHow much are Bell's Whisky decanters worth in 2022?
Their auction value has drastically fallen, now often selling for less than £30, a steep decline from peaks around £1,200 in the 1990s.Why did Bell's decanters lose their value?
Value dropped due to market oversupply, a decline in royal memorabilia collectors, industry changes, and restrictions on selling alcohol on major online platforms.What should I do with my Bell's Whisky decanter?
You can try to find an auction house willing to list it or, after emptying it, sell the decorative decanter itself on eBay for its sentimental value.Is the whisky inside a Bell's decanter special?
No, the whisky is identical to the standard Bell's whisky found in regular glass bottles; the value was solely in the commemorative container.
Frequently Asked QuestionsHow much are Bell's Whisky decanters worth in 2022?
Their auction value has drastically fallen, now often selling for less than £30, a steep decline from peaks around £1,200 in the 1990s.Why did Bell's decanters lose their value?
Value dropped due to market oversupply, a decline in royal memorabilia collectors, industry changes, and restrictions on selling alcohol online.What should I do with my Bell's Whisky decanter?
You can try to find an auction house willing to list it or, after emptying it, sell the decorative decanter itself on eBay for its sentimental value.Is the whisky inside a Bell's decanter special?
No, the whisky is identical to the standard Bell's whisky found in regular glass bottles; the value was solely in the commemorative container.