Forget Pyrex: The Rare Starbucks Cup To Hunt For At Thrift Stores That Can Be So Valuable

If you walk by the myriad of Starbucks mugs and tumblers on thrift store shelves, thinking they're overrated, you might want to circle back and look a little closer. Though Starbucks cups might seem like they're a dime a dozen these days, we're not searching for just any old cup. The ones you really want to hunt for are the Swarovski Starbucks collab cups. They're the one type of coffee mug you should never skip if you see it at a thrift store. Starbucks has only released a handful of these exclusive collaborations over the years, and while they weren't cheap at launch, they're often worth even more today.

In 2013, Starbucks partnered with Swarovski, a high-end crystal manufacturer based in Austria, to make a commemorative cup celebrating the anniversary of their iconic Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL). This 12-ounce (known as a "Tall" in Starbucks-speak) handleless coffee mug is adorned with a circle of green Swarovski crystals in the center and gold crystals sprinkled around the sides. The mug itself is two-toned in classic PSL colors, fading from a brownish orange at the bottom to a cream color at the top.

They only released 600 of these limited-edition cups at $150 apiece and sold out in less than two hours. That collaboration went so well, they went on to do a few others in the following years. And finding these valuable Starbucks mugs at a thirst shop means you've hit the jackpot. Today, examples have been listed and sold on sites like eBay for hundreds of dollars, with some reaching around $850 depending on condition.

After the first successful collaboration, Starbucks teamed up with Swarovski again in 2014. This time they honored the 30th anniversary of their famous Holiday Blend coffee beans with two different coffee cups. One was a gold and white ceramic mug, with a circle of Swarovski crystals in the center. The second was a gold tumbler with a band of Swarovski crystals around it. Both went for approximately $100 at the time of release. That gold tumbler is now selling online for $550 and the ceramic mug for $250. The most recent collaboration came in 2020 with a bright red holiday travel tumbler covered in Swarovski crystals. Currently, you can find one of these exclusives online for an asking price of $780.

Needless to say, these unique collab cups are one of the most valuable mugs you could find at a thrift store. And if you're wondering why anyone would get rid of one of these rarities, it might be because of how many dupes there are. Someone might not have even realized what they had. Many people bedazzle Starbucks cups themselves, DIY style – sometimes even invoking the Swarovski collab. There are also a lot of "custom" cups you can have made, with actual Swarovski crystals. None of those are official Starbucks releases. Starbucks has only produced a handful of official Swarovski collaborations over the years. So whether you're a collector looking to add something special to your shelf or hoping to score one for a bargain, keep an eye out for the exclusive Swarovski Starbucks collaboration cups the next time you're at your local thrift shop.