You Are Here Ornament – Dubai

The You Are Here Ornament Dubai is another never-released prototype, and an especially interesting one because Starbucks never produced You Are Here ornaments for the individual emirates. The released ornaments covered the UAE as a country instead, so a Dubai-specific version would have been something quite different within the series. This prototype was made in China, which also explains the glossy hanging string seen with many of these samples.

Dubai’s modern history is closely tied to the Creek and to trade.… Read more

You Are Here Ornament – Moscow

Another interesting find is the You Are Here Ornament – Moscow, an unreleased prototype dedicated to the Russian capital. Even though it was never officially released, a certain number of copies were produced, which gives collectors a rare opportunity to acquire a genuinely unusual Starbucks piece. The city itself was first mentioned in 1147 and gradually grew into the political and cultural center of Russia. Over the centuries, Moscow became known for its Kremlin walls, grand squares, historic churches, and impressive public architecture.… Read more

You Are Here Ornament – Tokyo

People who have followed my blog from the very beginning might remember this post from 2019, when I was excited to review what appeared to be a new mug from Japan, only to realize that it was an unreleased prototype. It was especially disappointing because Japan never received any city-specific You Are Here releases. The only YAH items released there were the mini set of five country mugs and ornaments: one regular version and four seasonal editions, one for each time of the year.… Read more

You Are Here – Český Krumlov

This is the third and the last (for now) mug from a recent trio release from the Czech Republic.

The You Are Here Český Krumlov mug takes us to one of the best-preserved historic towns in Czechia. Český Krumlov developed around a castle established in the 13th century on a bend of the Vltava River and flourished under the powerful Rosenberg family for several centuries. Its remarkably intact medieval and Renaissance center, together with the castle complex overlooking it, earned Český Krumlov a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1992.… Read more

You Are Here – The Land of Legends Antalya

Here is an interesting release from Turkey. Instead of focusing on a city or region, this You Are Here The Land of Legends Antalya mug is dedicated to one of the country’s largest entertainment destinations. Located in Belek, Antalya Province, The Land of Legends opened in 2016 as a combination of a theme park, water park, hotel, shopping avenue, and entertainment complex. Its fantasy-themed architecture and huge collection of attractions make it a rather unusual subject for a You Are Here mug.… Read more

You Are Here – Olomouc

The Starbucks You Are Here Olomouc mug introduces one of the Czech Republic’s most historic cities, with roots stretching back to the Great Moravian period. I would like to thank the blog reader for providing the photos of this mug.

Olomouc became an important political and religious center during the Middle Ages, and in 1063 it became the seat of a bishopric. The city prospered as a major center of Moravia, although its history also includes the Swedish occupation during the Thirty Years’ War, when Swedish troops held Olomouc from 1642 to 1650.… Read more

You Are Here – Teplice

I was contacted by some amazing readers of my blog who alerted me to the release of not one, not two, but as many as three new mugs from Czechia. I would like to thank all of them for helping me keep the site up to date. Special thanks go to the reader who provided these photos of the You Are Here Teplice mug, which is where we will start our journey.

Teplice’s history is closely connected with its thermal springs, which were already known in the Middle Ages.… Read more

You Are Here – Katowice (prototype)

Yet another very interesting and unique find from the private collection that is being offered for sale. It seems that You Are Here Katowice was originally planned for release much earlier than we previously believed. The prototype’s design is significantly different from the version that was ultimately approved in 2024. As you can see in the comparison photos below, the final mug features a more vibrant color palette, while the marching band’s hat from the prototype was replaced with the full marching band.… Read more

You Are Here Ornament – Seoul (prototype)

Some prototypes differ from the production version by a color, a missing detail, or a small design tweak. Others are far more intriguing because they represent a product that was never released at all.

This You Are Here Ornament Seoul falls into the second category.

If you’ve been following my recent posts, you already know that Starbucks never officially released a You Are Here mug or ornament for Seoul. Instead, South Korea received its own Korea Real City collection, making any Seoul item from the YAH series something that simply wasn’t supposed to exist.… Read more

You Are Here Seoul – an opportunity to own one of the rarest Starbucks mugs ever released

As many collectors already know, Starbucks never officially released a You Are Here Seoul mug. South Korea received the Korea Real City series instead, making a Seoul YAH mug something that simply wasn’t supposed to exist.

Well… one does.

This is not a production mug that somehow slipped through retail. It is believed to be a prototype/sample created during the development of the You Are Here collection before the series was discontinued. To date, this may be the only known example to have surfaced publicly, although its exact production history remains unknown.… Read more

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