While we're now solidly into the last quarter of 2026, it's almost hard to remember that the USA celebrated its 250th anniversary earlier this year. There probably aren't a lot of collectibles from that annum laying around at your local antique store, but you can still find goodies from a century ago in some variety. The formal recognition of anything as "antique" reflects its existence for at least 100 years, so anything from 1926 and before can truly be called such. With that in mind, let's briefly revisit what happened in 1926 and what you may want to keep your eyes out for.
Every year has its notable moments, and 1926 was no exception. On the technical side, the first liquid-fueled rocket debuted that year, as did the first television. Both
NBC and Walt Disney Studios were established during that period, and there were some memorable births (Marilyn Monroe, Queen Elizabeth II, Fidel Castro) as well as notable deaths (Harry Houdini, Claude Monet, Rudolph Valentino). And despite its reputation as a high point of the Roaring '20s, the year 1926 was also one of significant social unrest around the globe. Sound familiar?
As for things from that year that get collectors excited, there are a few notables. The legendary Macallan single malt whisky distilled in 1926 but not bottled for another 60 years is among the rarest and most expensive beverages of all time. Only 40 bottles were collected from cask #263, the rest going to the angel's share via evaporation. In 2019, one of those bottles sold at auction for more than $2 million, and another one will be under the hammer at Sotheby's sometime next month. Whisky is for drinking, but it's hard to imagine the circumstances under which that bottle will ever be cracked.
That year was also a banner one for legendary baseball players, and trading cards from the era can command some remarkable prices. All-time greats like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Rogers Hornsby and Grover Cleveland Alexander were in top form that season, and their cards can approach four figures. Large as that number is, it's but a fraction of the $12.6 million paid for a Topps 1952 Mickey Mantle card in pristine condition. If you even think you may have one of those lying around, quit reading this article right now and go spend the rest of your life trying to find it.
There are other notable artifacts from a century ago that bring big money, and many of those are themselves money. Two gold U.S. coins, the Double Eagle and Quarter Eagle will set you back many thousands apiece, and the 1926-S Lincoln Wheat Cent may not look like much, but it is among the rarest of all its type. Only about 4.5 million were produced at the San Francisco mint that year, compared to about 157 million in Philadelphia and 28 million in Denver. One of those in tip-top condition sold not long ago for a mind-boggling $149,500. It just goes to show that a penny saved can sometimes be worth way more than a penny earned.
Mike Rivkin is the former proprietor of Antique Galleries of Palm Springs. His new venture will open later this fall. Contact him at scmcorp@sbcglobal.net.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: What's worth collecting from 1926?
