Long before the Stanley cup craze, the Facebook generation collected Starbucks cups like they'd surpass the price of gold one day. Wildly, that day is here — and has been for quite a while. Rare Starbucks cups can sell for hundreds of dollars. Don't worry. Our jaws are on the floor, too. Thanks to these rare Starbucks cups, early Starbucks devotees will have the last laugh on this one.
6 Rare Starbucks Cups Worth More Than 400 Starbucks Stars
It's hard to remember a time before Starbucks had shelves full of colorfully designed cups following you on your way to the counter. Yet, they didn't introduce their reusable grande-sized tumbler until the early 2010s. Once they dipped their toes into the custom cup market, they never looked back.
From seasonal drops to expensive collaborations, countless Starbucks cups have been churned out over the past 10+ years. Yet, these rare Starbucks cups are the ones you shouldn't get rid of — whether you have enough cabinet space or not.
| Rare Starbucks Cups | Recent Sales Prices |
|---|---|
| Swarovski x Starbucks Collab Cup | $855 |
| NYC Graffiti Cup | $650 |
| Global Icons Collector Mug Series | ~$650 |
| Stanley x Starbucks Collab Cup | $527 |
| Korean Bearista Cold Cup | $430 |
| Slime Green Cold Cup | $195 |
Swarovski x Starbucks Collab Cup: $855
Swarovski is the industry standard for high-quality rhinestones, and Starbucks has partnered with them for several exclusive initiatives in the past. In 2020, they released a special red holiday cup featuring Swarovski crystals.
The expensive collab makes this cup highly collectible, and someone snatched it off Mercari for less than the asking price at $855.
You may see NWT or BNWT in online listings. These stand for "new with tags" and "brand new with tags."
NYC Graffiti Cup: $650
As you hunt down rare Starbucks cups, you'll notice that many cups are considered rare without any explanation as to why. Several of the cups on this list with impressive sales prices fall into the same category. One is the NYC graffiti venti cup. Potentially from 2015 and sourced through the NYC flagship store, this all-black cup sells well in all forms. In fact, that venti "brand new with tags" graffiti cup recently sold for $650 on Mercari.
Related: I Tried the Grimace Shake & Created My Own: Here's My Dupe
Global Icons Collector Mug Series: ~$650
In 1994, Starbucks released its first cityscape mug series, called the City Mug Collector Series. These mugs were sold in (and represented) international markets like London & Bangkok. These quaint souvenirs have become a Starbucks staple, and the older mugs always perform well on resell sites.
For example, you can find tons of sepia-toned mugs from the 2009 Global Icons Collector Series listed online. One pristine Tokyo mug recently sold for around $650 on eBay.
Stanley x Starbucks Collab Cup: $527.77
Watertok — that side of TikTok touting water, syrup, and flavor packet combinations that look more like art projects than beverages — helped push Stanely cups to the stratosphere in the early 2020s. Young women went wild when Starbucks and Target announced their Stanley Cup collaboration.
Today, these iconic cups sell for incomprehensible prices online. A two-set of "brand new with tags" red and pink Stanley x Starbucks cups recently sold for $528.
@hufasa1 prettiest sage green stanley x starbucks collab
♬ Cupid – Twin Ver. (FIFTY FIFTY) – Sped Up Version - sped up 8282
Korean Bearista Cold Cup: $430
A more recent addition to the rare Starbucks cup list is the absolutely adorable 2023 "Bearista" cold brew cup from the Korean market. Featuring a bottle shape that feels more honey pot than coffee pot, this cup is already on its way to becoming a big-ticket collector's item. One "brand new with tags" bearista venti cup just sold for $430 on eBay.
Slime Green Cold Cup: $195
Halloween lovers and Starbucks stans do mix if Starbucks' spooky seasonal collections are anything to go off of. In 2023, they released a slime-tastic glow-in-the-dark green cup that people went nuts for. Just like everyone flocked to McDonalds to get their limited-edition boo buckets, people snatched these cups up in droves.
Now, they're steadily on their way to becoming a high-ticket collectible. Not even a year after they were released, one of these brand-new slime cups sold for $195 on eBay.
Related: What Coffee Order Are You Based on Your Zodiac Sign?
What Makes Starbucks Cups Rare?
Unlike rare trading cards that come with low-production numbers, Starbucks cups aren't manufactured in quite as small of batches. However, there are a few ways to predict which releases are going to be considered rare in the future.
- They are limited edition. If cups are marketed as limited edition, they are being made in smaller numbers than more standard cup batches.
- They are seasonal. Iconic seasonal cups have their place on the market, as Starbucks usually doesn't repeat its designs year after year.
- They are international. Not everyone can live the jetsetter life, and to complete their collection, they'll pay big money for cups from other countries.
- They come from a famous collab. From Stanely cups to BLACKPINK, Starbucks has partnered with all sorts of people and brands. Because of the limited production run and crossover appeal, these cups are collectible out of the gate.
Starbucks? More Like Big Bucks
Starbucks cups aren't going anywhere anytime soon, which means you've got nothing but time to research and amass your own Starbucks cup collection. Or, if your Starbucks collecting days are long behind you, we hope these rare Starbucks cup values have kept you from tossing out your collection just yet.
