Resale Price Soars 300x! The Masters Gnome is Frenzy
This week, the official Instagram account of the 2026 Masters posted the latest Gnome figurine with the caption “Umbrella. A ‘must-have’ on every spectator’s shopping list.” The post garnered nearly 30,000 likes within 12 hours.
Gnome, meaning “guardian of underground treasures” or “garden guardian elf,” this 13.5-inch (approx. 34 cm) figurine is an official Masters golf souvenir, sold exclusively at the on-site store of Augusta National Golf Club, the tournament venue. It is the only item in the store limited to one per customer.
This year’s new Gnome holds a teacup in one hand and an umbrella in the other, with the umbrella convertible between closed and open positions, hailed by many netizens as the “best version yet.”
According to Golf Digest, during the 2025 Masters, the club released approximately 1,000 figurines daily, about double previous years, and distributed them across different shops on the grounds. Yet, lines formed outside stores as early as 4 a.m. Some reported that the figurines sold out by 8:30 a.m.
Above: 2025 Gnome
Above: Men purchasing Gnomes
The Gnome was first introduced in 2016 but did not become an instant hit. The club has not disclosed the figurine’s history or design inspiration. No new version was released in 2017, and it returned only in 2018.
Around 2020, the Gnome gradually gained popularity, and in recent years it has become a viral sensation, with resale prices skyrocketing: the 2026 official retail price is $49.95, but on eBay it has been flipped for $650, while previous years’ versions all exceed $200, with the 2022 version reaching as high as $2,350. The original 2016 edition will go to auction in April, with a predicted hammer price exceeding $10,000, a surge of over 300 times.
Above: 2022 Gnome
Each year, the Gnome sports a different look and outfit, but always carries a full set of golf clubs, sports a white beard, and wears a green cap. The 2016 original wore a green-and-white argyle sweater.
Since then, the Gnome has often appeared as a caddie or spectator, such as the 2020 version in a red sweater with the Masters logo and snowflake pattern; the 2021 version with a straw hat and a piece of toast; the 2022 version in a green-and-white striped short-sleeve shirt and gray trousers; and the 2025 version holding a sandwich, wearing a polo shirt featuring the Masters’ iconic peach ice cream sandwich pattern.
Above: 2020 (left) and 2021 (right) Gnomes
Above: The 2024 Gnome official Instagram post garnered 60,000 likes
However, rumors suggest 2026 will be the final edition of the Gnome, though the club has not commented. Golf Digest speculates that the in-store buying frenzy “evokes images of Black Friday shopping malls, a far cry from the pastoral tranquility Augusta so carefully cultivates.”
｜Sources: Golf Digest; Golf Monthly; Heavy.com
｜Images: The Masters official Instagram; eBay; tournament website