Jul 12, 2026
There are cheer captains, those on the bleachers and, evidently, those under the bleachers snatching up the fallen trash — the Swifties. They have proven that there’s almost nothing of Taylor Swift’s world that they won’t collect, from friendship bracelets to cigarette butts.
Just days after the pop superstar married NFL star Travis Kelce in a lavish, tightly guarded ceremony at Madison Square Garden, an artist began selling tiny acrylic cubes filled with garbage collected from the New York City streets surrounding the venue. And despite containing everything from useless cigarette butts and bottle caps to candy wrappers, used plastic utensils and even an abandoned AirPod, the $25 “collectibles” sold out in less than 24 hours.
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The unusual souvenirs were created by New York artist Justin Gignac, who gathered debris outside the arena after the July 3 wedding. Each clear cube was stamped with “JUST&T MARRIED! 7/3/26,” echoing the message displayed across Madison Square Garden’s famous marquee after the ceremony.
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Gignac has run his “New York City Garbage“ art project since 2001 in an effort to prove the importance of packaging design. He has since sold more than 1,300 cubes — including limited edition cubes from events like the World Series at Yankee Stadium and New Year’s Eve in Times Square — to over 30 countries.
This particular collection was marketed as a tongue-in-cheek time capsule commemorating what many fans have dubbed the celebrity wedding of the decade. The project even included a playful nod to Swift’s song “New Year’s Day,” with the product description referencing the lyric about “garbage on the floor after the party.”
The Swifties’ collection comes just weeks after another trash-related incident in New York. A New York Knicks fan was filmed dumping garbage from a limited-edition Knicks-branded trash can and walking away with it during the team’s championship parade.
The wedding that dominated headlines
The frenzy reflects the enormous interest surrounding Swift and Kelce’s wedding, which reportedly cost around $20 million and welcomed roughly 1,000 guests from the worlds of music, sports, film and television.
The guest list reportedly included Selena Gomez, Ed Sheeran, Jennifer Lopez, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Jimmy Fallon, Simon Biles and Chiefs coach Andy Reid, among many others. The celebration also featured performances by music legends Paul McCartney and Stevie Nicks, according to Billboard.
Although Madison Square Garden is one of the world’s largest indoor arenas, organizers reportedly worked extensively to transform the venue into a far more intimate setting. According to various reports, enormous drapes and elaborate floral installations concealed much of the stadium seating, creating the feel of a secluded garden rather than a sports arena. The enchanted-garden-inspired décor allegedly featured lush greenery and flowers throughout the ceremony and reception.
Another surprise came when Adam Sandler officiated the ceremony. According to People, the actor “said yes right away” when asked and was considered the “perfect person” because he has “been happily married for so many years” to his wife, Jackie.
Rather than delivering an over-the-top comedy routine, Sandler reportedly balanced humor with heartfelt advice. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid later revealed to CNN that Sandler encouraged the newlyweds to “kiss every chance [they] have.”
Other details about the wedding have yet to be revealed. Guests reportedly surrendered their phones upon arrival as the couple worked to keep the festivities private, making the sold-out cubes of street trash one of the few tangible souvenirs fans have been able to get their hands on.
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The booming business of celebrity collectibles
Celebrity memorabilia has long been a lucrative market, but in recent years collectibles tied to pop stars have reached record-breaking prices as fans compete to own a piece of music history.
Everything from handwritten lyrics and stage-worn outfits to concert tickets, guitars and even seemingly ordinary objects associated with famous musicians have become highly sought-after investments.
Among the most valuable items ever sold is one of Elvis Presley’s custom-made Omega wristwatches, which fetched more than $1.8 million at auction. Michael Jackson’s crystal-covered glove from his legendary “Billie Jean” performances sold for $420,000.
Meanwhile, a guitar played by Kurt Cobain during Nirvana’s iconic MTV Unplugged performance sold for a staggering $6 million in 2020, making it the most expensive guitar ever auctioned at the time.
Flash forward to 2026, Cobain’s Smells Like Teen Spirit Fender Mustang sold for $6,907,000, according to a list compiled by Guitar.com. It ranks number three behind two other guitars currently: Jerry Garcia’s ‘Tiger’ ($11,560,000) and David Gilmour’s Black Fender Stratocaster ($14,550,000).
Taylor Swift memorabilia has also become increasingly valuable as her global popularity has soared. Signed guitars and CDs, limited-edition vinyl records, handwritten lyric sheets and tour costumes worn have all commanded eye-catching prices on the resale market. Someone has even listed a bag of air that was allegedly collected inside her MSG wedding — for $49,999.99, according to TMZ.
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AnnaMarie is a weekend editor for Moneywise.
