How to Price a 30-Year-Old Bottle of Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel, famous for his whiskey and the stories he told, never revealed his actual age. His headstone lists his birth year as 1850, but since his mother passed away on 1847, it's impossible that's accurate. It's believed his birth occurred in 1846. Jack remains a legend whose whole life created myths and milestones. People often referred to him as "The boy distiller" because it's presumed he started making whiskey at age 16. His labels advertised "Est. & Reg. in 1866," although he didn't get his first business license until 1875. Jack Daniel's whiskey bottles have the same legendary charisma as the man who made the whiskey that's inside, which explains why some Jack Daniel's bottles demand top dollar.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
Pricing your bottle
-
1
Study the overall condition of your bottle. Condition is everything when it comes to antiques and collectibles. The value can decrease tremendously if the condition appears less than good. Condition includes not only the bottle itself, but also whether the whiskey bottle remains full, if you kept the cap sealed, and if the label stayed intact.
-
2
Check the label if your bottle still has it. Jack Daniel always said everything should be as clear as "black and white" and that's the way he made the labels for his whiskey. A different label has appeared on Jack Daniel's bottles throughout the years as far back as the 1900's. The label will help pinpoint when your bottle was produced, and help you find the value of your bottle.
-
-
3
Search for your bottle by the year on the internet. To get a good idea of what people would pay for an antique Jack Daniel's bottle; check out online auction sites, such as eBay. This can tell you not only how much people will pay for the bottle, but also, if you check out the number of bids made, it can tell you if the bottle is highly sought after. Keep in mind, this would give you an approximation of a good price. The auctions do fluctuate with respect to the economy and holiday spending, along with other aspects.
-
4
Go to the library and check out bottle price guides that include Jack Daniel's whiskey bottles. If you live in a small town and your library offers limited resources, you can go to a library in a nearby city. They may charge a fee for using their services, due to the fact you live out of the county, but you're able to use the services for a year in most cases.
-
5
Purchase a Jack Daniel's bottle price guide. It would involve a modest investment that will definitely pay off once you have the knowledge for how much to price the bottle. Before purchasing, double check the tables of contents to make sure it includes Jack Daniel's bottles.
-
6
Hire an appraiser to research your Jack Daniel's bottle, if you're still uncertain and not able to validate the value of the bottle. You'll have to pay for services, but you will not only learn the value of your bottle, but you'll also have documentation provided by the appraiser, which you could add the charge to you asking price. At Appraisers.org, you can find licensed appraisers in your area and search for one who specializes in old bottles.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Always handle your Jack Daniel's bottle with care; you don't want to mess up the label by roughing the edges from handling, or accidentally chip it.
When it comes to setting a price on antiques and collectibles, it's always a good idea to get more than one source of information, this assures the buyer your reasoning behind the asking price.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit transparences image by ALAIN VERMEULEN from Fotolia.com
