The most expensive Masters memorabilia: Trophies, tickets and all things Tiger

New York Times

10-04-2025

The Masters has a unique pull that entrances both casual and devoted viewers alike every year in early April. Even people who wouldn't give golf a second thought any other week of the year often take an interest in some aspect of the tournament or its outcome.
It's an event that transcends golf, which means it also attracts a wide variety of collectors.
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'It's probably the only sport, or at least the most significant sport, where a tournament is collected and everything surrounding the tournament,' said Ryan Carey, president and founder of golf-centric Golden Age Auctions. 'Meaning, other sports are more about the individual players winning an event or a championship. But the Masters has its own collectors. There is this whole segment of people that just collect The Masters. It's their favorite week of the year. It's their favorite thing to collect. …
'The Masters drives everything.'
Which is why the most expensive items ever sold for marketplaces like Golden Age or Golf Auction carry connections to The Masters.
For example, the set of irons Tiger Woods used during the 2001 Masters where he completed the famed 'Tiger Slam,' in which he became the reigning champion for golf's four major tournaments — The Masters, U.S. Open, British Open, and PGA Championship — sold for nearly $5.2 million on Golden Age in 2022.
Tiger Woods, 8 iron, 2001. Put it in the Louvre pic.twitter.com/4vWxcrHURc
— Golden Age (@GoldenAgeBid) March 24, 2022
Then there's the inaugural 1934 Masters entrance badge signed by Bobby Jones, Horton Smith and others that sold for more than $470,000 on Golf Auction. It became the second highest price for any sporting ticket in an auction, only topped by a ticket for Jackie Robinson's debut game, according to the auction house.
This is the 1st time anyone is seeing this photo.
All 3 known series badges to the 1934 Masters Tournament together in one photo #themasters pic.twitter.com/MDoTlEqhkX
— Golden Age (@GoldenAgeBid) April 4, 2018
The Augusta National design plans for Amen Corner hole No. 12 signed by golf course architect Alister MacKenzie sold for $272,073.90, via Golf Auction. Even a Masters gnome, arguably the tournament's hottest annual collectible, has sold for more than $10,000 on eBay.
Let's take a look at some of the more notable Masters items that've been purchased publicly.
(But first, there's the Masters green jacket elephant in the room. Some have been sold through auctions, with Smith's jacket from his 1934 and 1936 Masters wins selling for more than $680,000 in 2013. But because Augusta National claims ownership of all green jackets, finding any for sale has been almost impossible for nearly the past decade. I'll examine this issue later this week.)
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Trophies
Mementos that a Masters champion personally owns from his victory stand as some of the most expensive pieces of golf memorabilia to exist. And there are more trophies that have been circulated through auction houses than you might imagine.
In addition to the green jacket, Masters winners also get a gold medallion depicting Augusta National's clubhouse, their names engraved on the 130-pound permanent trophy that's shaped like the clubhouse and resides inside it, and a smaller Sterling silver replica of the clubhouse trophy that they can keep. The Masters began awarding clubhouse trophies to winners starting in 1993, but trophies were later retroactively produced for past champions.
'Clubhouse' trophies from legends like Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player have been auctioned and sold well into six figures. Some of Snead's trophies have exchanged hands multiple times within the past 15 years.
Snead's 1949 trophy sold for $143,400 through Heritage Auctions in 2013. The trophy hit the block again in 2023 selling for $766,433 through Golden Age. His 1954 trophy sold on Heritage for $191,200 in 2013, but resold for $333,601 on Golden Age in 2018. Player's trophy for his 1974 win sold for $523,483 in 2021, while a Palmer trophy not representing a specific year sold for $444,012 in 2016.
With nearly 2 weeks left in the auction, a bidding war erupted today over Sam Snead's 1954 Masters Trophy. Now at $278,001 pic.twitter.com/QVL0plnLii
— Golden Age (@GoldenAgeBid) March 27, 2018
Snead's Masters market doesn't stop with trophies, though. His 1952 Masters gold medal sold for $190,372.80 on Golden Age.
Tiger Woods
Surprising to probably no one, there's mass appeal for anything involving Woods and The Masters.
Woods' autographed red Nike polo worn during the final round of the 2010 Masters, where Woods finished tied for fourth, sold for $139,348.80 in 2022. It's the second most expensive piece of clothing memorabilia purchased through Golden Age, only beaten by Smith's green jacket.
A golf ball used in his final round from the 1997 Masters sold for $64,124, while the ball used to sink Woods' tournament winning putt in 2005 fetched $30,326. A 2019 Masters flag from Amen Corner hole No. 12 signed by Woods sold for $43,797.60. A set of five autographed Masters badges (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019) went for $36,197.
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Putters, balls, locket, and more
There are too many interesting Masters items that have commanded a hefty price tag to count. So here's a list via Golden Age Auctions and Golf Auction of notable pieces sold through the years:
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