If you’ve inherited a Bell’s whisky decanter, or perhaps have one gathering dust in your cabinet, we need to be clear from the start: these items are now worth less than £30, and finding a buyer has become increasingly difficult. It is true that these ornate vessels once changed hands for over £1,200! But unfortunately those days are gone.
We cannot help you sell them—most specialist whisky auctioneers no longer accept them—but we can explain what’s happened to this market and give you an idea of the what options remain if you own one.
In 2025 the history of these decorative decanters tell a cautionary tale about the fickle nature of whisky collecting and investment. As we move through 2025, their story has become even more relevant as a lesson in how quickly collecting trends can change—and how important it is to understand the market if you choose to invest in whisky.
What are Bell’s Decanters Worth in 2025?
The market for Bell’s decanters has deteriorated further since our last update. Most specialist whisky auctioneers have now completely delisted these items, refusing to accept them for sale. This development marks another significant downturn for these once-prized collectibles.
The fundamental issue remains unchanged: Bell’s decanters, while aesthetically pleasing on the outside, contain standard Bell’s blended scotch whisky—the same spirit found in their regular glass bottles. People originally collected these decanters for their ornamental value and as status symbols (followers of our YouTube channel may notice parallels with certain current market trends). The royal commemorative aspect also drove their collectability.
Unfortunately the market for blended whisky never took off in the same way as for single malt. Then the increasing accessibility of online specialist whisky auctions meant collectors realised these were not that scarce and prices slowly drifted down.
What should you do with a Bell’s Decanter in 2025?
Your options are somewhat limited:
- Local traditional auction houses remain one of the few venues willing to handle these items, though returns are likely to be minimal.
- Perhaps the most practical solution is simply to enjoy the whisky itself. While the investment value has evaporated, the contents remain perfectly drinkable.
The whisky market has evolved dramatically over the past three decades, while the royal memorabilia collecting scene has simultaneously contracted. The earlier challenges – such as bans on alcohol sales through eBay and Facebook – have been compounded by specialist whisky auctioneers now refusing to list these items entirely. The combination of oversupply, poor sales performance, and shipping difficulties due to their unusual shapes has effectively ended the era of Bell’s Decanters as valuable collectibles.