Expert: Paul Wagner - 12/11/2006

Question
hi, i have a full sealed bottle of what i believe is a circa 1960's ballantine scotch and was wondering what it might be worth and is ok to drink ?. it is one quart and has a red sticker near the bottom. also have u heard of monnet cognac ? i have an old bottle of that also. thanks

Answer
HI Brian:

These are not really very valuable to collectors.  It seems that in some ways, collectors will pay more for the advertising paraphernalia of these brands than for the bottles themselves!  These bottles pop up on ebay from time to time, and I have seen them sell for around $25-50, but not much more.  Sorry that I can't give you more exciting news about them.

Monnet Cognac, by the way, is quite well known--but not for its products!  It commissioned a really wonderful poster back in the 1930s or so, and that poster is now reproduced.  You see it for sale everywhere.  The bottles are not very valuable--maybe about the same as the Ballentines.

Paul Wagner