It’s been reported that the average amount spent at the Masters merch shop is around $1,000. Which is obviously high but makes sense. Who knows when you’ll be back? Plus, most people aren’t shopping just for themselves, but for friends, relatives and basically anyone else who knows they’re heading to Augusta National.
Well, this auction would certainly jump that par-for-the-course $1k up quite a bit, as an original 2016 Augusta National gnome just went for a gobsmacking $28,827.60. The first bid was $300 and then $330 and then less than a week later, we were in the high $20k range with 48 total bids.
There will be a new record price paid for a first year Masters gnome (2016).@GoldenAgeBid has one closing in its auction tonight and the current bid with buyer's premium is $28,828.
Original price at Augusta for the gnome was $35. pic.twitter.com/eqUQ2zAWh0
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 12, 2026
MORE: Could 2026 be the final year for the gnome merchandising juggernaut?
The original price of a 2016 gnome was actually $39.50, but even still, that’s a $28,788.10 return on investment, more than enough money for a boatload of extra Masters merch. Maybe even a student loan or two paid off.
“This is the first year gnomes were issued, in 2016,” reads Golden Age Auction. “They were never intended to be a collectible—let alone a worldwide phenomenon. Since they were intended to be a garden accessory, not a collectible, a scant few gnomes were produced for the 2016 Masters Tournament merchandise tent.
“And in the years that followed, they still were not a big deal. The Masters Tournament did not even sell a gnome the following year in 2017, but eventually brought them back in 2018 … This 2016 gnome is in mint condition in the original box.”
The gnomes have become almost too big a deal at Augusta National, turning the merch-shop line into the WM Phoenix Open and requiring special gnome rules, such as one gnome per patron, which is a phrase Bobby Jones could never have expected.
In fact, there’s the possibility that this is “The Last Stand of the Masters Gnomes”, at least for a bit. And if that’s true, the resale value of the original gnomes is only going to go up. Somehow, $28,827.60 might’ve been a steal. What we’ve learned from all this is that it might have been a mistake going to journalism school. I should’ve gone into the gnome resale market when I had a chance.
More on gnomes 
Gnome-enclature Masters 2026: Chairman is mum on one of Augusta’s most pressing issues—is this the last year of the gnomes? 
Merch Masters 2026: How I became a shop-a-holic at Augusta National 
Voices Masters 2026: The Masters is appealing to a broader audience. Is it losing its identity in the process?
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
