In a Glass by Itself
Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Glasses Offer a Fun Challenge for Casual Fans and a Thrilling Hunt for Serious Collectors
By Laura Ross
A water glass is just a glass. Until it’s not. Some lucky glassware grows up to become the highly collectible official Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Glasses that pop up every year like the daffodils of a Kentucky springtime.
In 1938, Churchill Downs produced a commemorative official Kentucky Derby Glass that it used on dining tables throughout the track on Derby Day. Not surprisingly, patrons swiped their glasses at the end of the day and promptly carried them away as souvenirs. Instead of being angry, Churchill Downs officials saw an opportunity. The following years, they decided to produce the glasses for sale, and before long, a cherished tradition was born.
Today, the water glasses are used primarily as Mint Julep Glasses and are widely available – and collectible. Each year features a unique design and a list of past Derby winners. A cottage industry has grown up around the glasses, with certain years and designs selling and trading for over $30,000 a glass. Most glasses, however, are very affordable and make fun collectibles for Derby fans and party hosts worldwide. The 150th official Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Glass is sure to become a popular collectible. It is adorned with the classic Kentucky Derby red roses and lists, per tradition, every official Kentucky Derby winner – from Aristides in 1875 to Mage in 2023.
Amy Seiler and her husband Michael are one of the foremost authorities on the history of the official Kentucky Derby Glasses. Together, they operate Derby Glass Warehouse (www.derbyglasswarehouse.com) where they buy, sell and trade Kentucky Derby Glasses to eager fans and collectors across the globe.
They became interested in Kentucky Derby Glassware in the early 2000s and began their business selling those they had collected on eBay. That soon morphed into a full website and the couple began buying and selling full collections from estates and serious collectors. Seiler says there has been a huge boom in the market over just the past five years. “The glasses are very unique every year and are their own little art piece,” she shares. “It is very easy to build a decent collection at a reasonable price. Now obviously, if you get some of the rarer glasses, that does increase substantially, but for a regular collector, you can have a pretty nice collection and have it not cost an arm and a leg, which makes it an easy and fun hobby.”
The most sought-after glass is the 1940 dated glass, of which only 800 were produced. In the beginning, only small production runs occurred, and with the advent of World War II, glass was rationed across the United States, making this one of the most collectible pieces of drinkware in the world.
“The 1940 glass is extremely rare and could sell for upwards of $40,000,” says Seiler. “There are a lot of people out there looking for that one.”
Generally, all of the wartime-era glasses are considered highly collectible. With the ration in place, Churchill Downs needed to be creative about the glass production, so they identified a glassware company in New York that was closing and bought every single piece of inventory of a certain cup style. This workaround explains why there were multiple color schemes for those years and provides an even more sought-after piece of history.
“They’re kind of hard to explain,” says Seiler. “It’s almost like a super hard plastic resin glass. They’re not as breakable and they are a little bit more affordable than the 1940 glass. You’ll also see in 1945, there’s a short version of a glass and then there’s a tall high ball version. I think it’s very interesting at that time, Churchill Downs really took efforts to keep this tradition going through wartime.”
Production errors that caused Churchill Downs headaches at the time are now seen as highly valued and rare finds. The 1956 glass had a varying number of stars and horse tails misprinted. “I’m not sure what happened on the various production lines that year, but obviously, all the horses are supposed to have tails and all the jockeys are supposed to have heads,” Seiler laughs, “but, on these glasses, you’ll find stars missing, or a tail or two missing. And on some, there is a coveted run of glasses with a headless jockey.”
Seiler and her husband travel the country to find much loved collections from estates. They personally picked up a substantial collection from a sale in Arizona, and had clients in Chicago, where an estate had multiple glasses from 40 years ago onward, all with detailed notes from the original owners who would travel by bus to Louisville with friends each Derby. They carefully noted all the details of each trip, the hotels they stayed in, the meals they enjoyed, and of course, the glasses they brought back with them. “It was like a little historical snapshot of every year’s trip, which was fascinating to read,” says Seiler.
International interest is strong as well, with the Seilers shipping collections as far as Australia. They frequently ship to Canada and Europe and Seiler notes it has a lot to do with a happy memory. “The Derby is often a once in a lifetime trip for people,” she explains. “You bring home this simple little glass, but you also bring home huge memories. Ordering and building a collection of glassware then becomes a very easy and obtainable goal.”
Seiler has worked with celebrities and serious collectors, but loves finding treasure in mom-and-pop collections. “It’s fascinating sometimes, when you find some collections,” she shares. “Last year, we helped an elderly man and his grandson clear out his collection. Unfortunately, he had kept the glasses in less than stellar condition, in a cellar under his house, so there was a lot of damage. He probably had several hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of glasses scattered over his property.”
While Seiler and her husband have helped avid collectors across the world, one particular Derby Glass connoisseur stands out amongst the rest – Churchill Downs CEO, Bill Carstanjen. What started as a childhood hobby, Carstanjen’s love of collecting would eventually lead him to Seiler and a fully complete collection of Derby Glasses, the marvel of fellow collectors across the world.
Of his noteworthy Derby Glass collection, Carstanjen shares that he hadn’t been particularly committed to pursuing a complete collection but had acquired the most recent designs naturally during his time at Churchill Downs. Meanwhile, his wife, Julia, had been picking up the glasses when she saw them in antique stores as part of the family’s close and personal connection to the famed race. Without a particular strategy behind her purchases, she had generated quite a robust collection.
“One day, I lined up all the Derby Glasses in our home, and realized that without really trying, Julia had acquired glasses that spanned about 50 years,” Carstanjen recounts. “This activated the collector in me who loves a challenge.”
The Carstanjen collection now begins with the 64th Kentucky Derby in 1938 and now includes this year’s glass commemorating the 150th Kentucky Derby. “Once I got interested, I started doing research to see how I could get a complete set,” he shares. “Some I was able to find on my own, but the distant decades started to get harder to source.”
Now fully realized, the Carstanjen collection features some of the most difficult-to-find glasses, including various color differences from the World War II era and the headless jockey from 1956, of which he is most proud. The collection even boasts the 24K gold versions of the famed glassware, limited edition runs of certain years that include the designs etched in gold onto the glass.
Until 1974, Derby Glasses were exclusively sold at Churchill Downs, but then they identified an opportunity to allow certain retailers to sell the glasses. While this business model led to an increase in production, it also lowered the long-term values as the glasses were more ubiquitous and widely available.
“This year, we’re giving a nod to those serious collectors and increased the challenge again by issuing a special frosted Derby Glass that will only be available on site at Churchill Downs on Derby Day,” explains Carstanjen. “If you aren’t there in person, you may enjoy the hunt of trying to get your hands on this limited special edition.” An enjoyment only a true collector like himself can appreciate, he adds with a laugh, “You’ll have to work for it.”
The on-site exclusive glass will feature a frosted casing with a gold trophy, adding a priceless piece of memorabilia to the historic occasion. A frosted version of the Oaks Lily Glass will also be available only for those attending the Kentucky Oaks in person this year. Exclusivity isn’t just reserved for the Grandstand and dining rooms, however, even the Infield will have its own plastic version for grabs.
While Seiler is always thrilled to see the joy that she can help bring to individuals across the globe by helping them fulfill their Derby Glass dreams, she enjoys her own personal fulfillment in the process, as well. From over-the-top artwork to simple and clean logos, she appreciates the span of design that references specific inspiration or the celebratory nature of the time. Her favorite glass?
“I really love the 1978 glass,” she admits. “I think it’s a cool glass that is a true sign of the times – a seventies-style appearance that is almost tie-dye in nature. It’s visually striking and includes nearly every color imaginable.”
Whether working with a professional like Seiler, employing your own eagle eye when antiquing or thrifting, or carrying home your glass home from the racetrack, the Churchill Downs’ Mint Julep Glassware is the perfect way to relive your Kentucky Derby memories all year, every year.
