Beyond the pristine fairways and iconic green jacket, the Masters holds an unexpected allure for some patrons: a 13 1/2-inch tall gnome.
John James, of Wyckoff, New Jersey, arrived at Augusta National an hour before gates opened to secure one.
“Had to have one,” he remarked. “It's a novelty.”
The 10th, and potentially final, edition of the limited-run Masters gnome depicts an old man with a white beard in colourful golf attire. Its current design features the character in khaki trousers, a white-and-green striped polo shirt, and a blue vest, holding an umbrella and a Masters-themed cup.
These gnomes have soared in popularity and value over the past decade. Limited to around 1,000 daily, they typically sell out within an hour each morning at the merchandise shop, before restock. Exclusively sold at Augusta National, they are priced at $59.50 plus tax.
Their scarcity has created a lucrative resale market. On eBay, bidding for one gnome recently reached $620; another was listed for purchase at $670 plus delivery. On Facebook Marketplace, some are commanding prices as high as $800.
Fueling the price is speculation this may be the final year that the gnome will be produced.
Masters chairman Fred Ridley was asked earlier in the week if this will be the final edition. He responded by saying, “I’ve been asking that question for several years, and they won’t tell me the answer. So I can’t help you.”
When asked if he'd consider selling his gnome, James laughed and said, “Maybe.”
“I mean, I just spent more than $1,000 in the gift shop, so from what I've heard the gnome might pay for all of it,” James said. “I'll have to think about it, but it's definitely an option.”
John Van Pay, who came from San Antonio, got caught up in the gnome hysteria after talking with a friend associated with the LIV tour the night before attending the Masters. He convinced his son, Bryce, to wake up early and get to the course, and limited to one per person, they each walked out of the merchandise shop with a gnome.
“Yeah, we kept hearing about this gnome, and the rumor is it's going to be the last year they produce them,” Van Pay said. “So next thing you know, we are waiting in line at 7 a.m. to buy this gnome at the shop.”
Van Pay said he plans to keep his gnome as a souvenir of his trip to the Masters, calling it “a great piece of memorabilia” and something that “is going to look great on the shelf.” The younger Van Pay is a little more torn; he's an avid memorabilia collector, mostly dealing with Funko Pop.
Bryce Van Pay recounted how he recently had a $10 trading card that exploded on the market and reached $300 in value following the release of the most recent Marvel movie, only to watch it's worth slip to $100 a few months later. Van Pay lamented not selling it when it was at its most valuable.
“The Masters gnome is a hot seller and I'm not sure if it's going to go up and down (in value),” the younger Van Pay said. “There is a lot in circulation right now (on eBay and other platforms)."
He said given the possibility this is the last gnome produced, the wiser financial decision might be to hold onto it for a while.
With that, his father jumped in and said: “Well, he's my only son, so he can sell his now and make money and have mine when I hand it down to him.”
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