AUGUSTA, Ga. — Sorry, Rory. Stay aside, Scotty. Back up, Bryson. In honor of the great players gathered at Augusta National this week, the man most Masters patrons want to meet is about 13 inches tall. ‘
Once again, the little gnome is a Masters favorite, and Masters patrons spend a good portion of their precious days chasing it around Augusta National. Patrons gather at the gates every day at 6 a.m. because Augusta National won’t allow them to gather earlier. Lines at retail facilities can stretch up to 90 minutes. Every available gnome is bought as soon as it hits the shelf, and many end up in antique stores or on eBay within an hour.
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Yes, seriously.
First introduced in 2016, the gnome became an unexpected collector’s item hit a few years later during COVID-19. Priced at about $50 and with a strict limit of one per customer, the gnomes are a rare commodity, with some estimates saying Augusta National only releases about 1,000 per day. (With an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 patrons in the venue, gnome hunting quickly turns out to be a math problem.)
AUGUSTA, GA – APRIL 6: The sight of a Masters gnome being carried by a patron during a practice round before the 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 6, 2026 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Andrew Reddington/Getty Images)
(Andrew Reddington via Getty Images)
Markup is important. One Augusta collectibles dealer told Yahoo Sports he would pay $250 for a 2026 gnome. This is a 5x return on investment by the time the sun goes down. Antique store Trends & Traditions, located at Solid 5 Iron on Magnolia Lane, is listing the 2019 Gnome for $3,000 and the 2021 version for $1,500. Golden Age Auctions, one of the major auction houses, has sold an original 2016 gnome for the first time and has already sold for nearly $6,000.
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That speculation, along with the Black Friday-style frenzy of patrons lining up in the (probably vain) hope of catching the prized gnome, is very un-Masters-like. It’s part of a growing trend of consumerism and spectacle at Augusta National, drawing patrons’ attention away from golf.
As a result, rumors are circulating that this year may be the last year for the gnome. When asked directly about Nome’s fate, Augusta National president Fred Ridley did not respond precisely to the governor’s request for help. “I’ve been asking that question for several years and they can’t give me an answer,” Ridley said Wednesday morning. “So I can’t help you.”
If this is Gnome’s last sale as a stand-alone annual new collectible, it will likely continue to exist in another format with less investment value. Gnome T-shirts, keychains, salt shakers, and cheese spreaders are already available for purchase, but none of them will be available in limited quantities. And you might not be offered $300, $500, or $700 on the spot for one gnome who had a customer on Tuesday.
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Until then, gnomes will appear in Master’s goods shops and shelves, disappearing as soon as they arrive. And patrons are welcome to wait in long lines if they really want to make the most of their day at the Masters.
