Expert: Paul Wagner - 1/7/2010

Question
Hello!
We have a bottle of Vintage Cointreau, bottle unopened, seal intact, from approx 1902. We are wondering what the value on that would be?
Thank you!
Judy

Answer
Hi Judy

Sorry to say, this won't be worth much on the auction market.  Distilled spirits and liqueurs like this ones are so high in alcohol that they don't change much over time in the bottle.  The good news is that yours should be fine to drink.  The bads news is that it won't have appreciated in value the way some fine wines do.  I'd estimate yours at about what a current bottling  might sell for:  about $25-35.  They just don't seem to be very collectible.    

But you might want to check with the guys at antiquebottles.com.  They could tell you if the bottle itself might be worth more than the liquid inside...often the packaging is worth more than the liquid inside, particularly for something this old.

Sorry that I don't have more exciting news for you.

Paul Wagner