Info on these Soldiers?

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BMCGear

BMCGear

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Picked up these two Soldiers today. They are near mint/mint. One has "03" and the other "08". Any info about these and what they're worth?

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Well, they are Swiss army knives! :)
The numbers mean years of production. I believe it's the only model that Victorinox marked with year of manufacture. In this case they are made in years 2003 and 2008.
 
A.L. said:
Well, they are Swiss army knives! :)
The numbers mean years of production. I believe it's the only model that Victorinox marked with year of manufacture. In this case they are made in years 2003 and 2008.
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Thanks for the reply. I'm trying to figure out if these should be users or not. I wasn't sure if they had more value being collected.
 
The only real collector value is for guys who are looking for year number units for collections or sentimental reasons. Old ones can have some value where there are style transitions, or the old ones that had proof-marks/ issue acceptance marks. And there are sometimes other Alox models that show up with year-stamped blades.
I'd say use 'em.
 
gadgetgeek said:
The only real collector value is for guys who are looking for year number units for collections or sentimental reasons. Old ones can have some value where there are style transitions, or the old ones that had proof-marks/ issue acceptance marks. And there are sometimes other Alox models that show up with year-stamped blades.
I'd say use 'em.
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I ended up getting a good deal by buying both. I thought if they were worth anything I can put them up, if not I've got a backup for my new EDC.
 
bluemetalchurch said:
Thanks for the reply. I'm trying to figure out if these should be users or not. I wasn't sure if they had more value being collected.
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Blue, look at me, I'm serious. Use the heck out them. They're SAK's and meant to be used. Stash oner in the car as a spare and keep one in rotation for edc use. Alox SAK's are the best SAK's and can take what ever life dishes out.
 
gadgetgeek said:
That's very ambitious. Even if you are talking NZD, that's still way over retail for a current production knife. To the guy who wants the year stamps, maybe, but I'm not seeing it.
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You can't compare it to a current production knife because this is a discontinued model. And the year stamps and old cross logo are what collectors are looking for with these soldier knives.
 
Now I'm not an expert on knife values, it just my thoughts here: I have some doubts that they will be collectibles worth much money-wise. I own at least one Alox Soldier (and a red Pioneer) each with blades stamped 98. I've carried and used them, but even if I hadn't, I wouldn't have counted on their worth multiplying. I've heard of cases where men accumulated many "collectible" pocketknives with the hope of someday getting a good return on their investment, only to eventually discover (or their families discovering) that they weren't worth much to anyone except the owner.

Jim
 
James Y said:
Now I'm not an expert on knife values, it just my thoughts here: I have some doubts that they will be collectibles worth much money-wise. I own at least one Alox Soldier (and a red Pioneer) each with blades stamped 98. I've carried and used them, but even if I hadn't, I wouldn't have counted on their worth multiplying. I've heard of cases where men accumulated many "collectible" pocketknives with the hope of someday getting a good return on their investment, only to eventually discover (or their families discovering) that they weren't worth much to anyone except the owner.

Jim
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This!!!!!^^^^

I've known too many guys who thought the world revolved around their collection of whatever, and thought that it was invaluable. When they passed away, the family couldn't unload the stuff except for pennies on the dollar. The more narrow the collector field, the harder it will be to fond someone enthusiastic as the original collector. And collecting knives is one of the narrowest fields, and if you narrow it down to an item as mass produced as a SAK, no matter what so called "variation" you've got, you'll be lucky to get back your original investment.

Use them while your alive to enjoy them and the heck with unknown future value.
 
Check ebay. Do a search for completed sales on Victorinox alox soldier. That will give an idea of their value.
 
Well, if it just so happens that both of the people trying to complete their set of Soldiers of every year are in need of those particular years, you could be sitting on a couple hundred bucks easy. The odds are better on winning the Powerball. Use them and enjoy them.
 
glenfiddich1983 said:
You can't compare it to a current production knife because this is a discontinued model. And the year stamps and old cross logo are what collectors are looking for with these soldier knives.
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Fair point, but since the Pioneer still exists, and is for all intents and purposes the equivalent, it does make for a good baseline. You are not wrong, some collectors do want the stamps and years, but those guys are few and far between, and those year numbers are going to be common enough in NIB condition that it steeply drops that value curve. I'm not a collector, but having sold two year-stamped knives that were not minty fresh, the value for them was solely on functionality not as part of a collection. Its all conjecture anyway.
 
I appreciate all of the information. I got a good deal on the pair of knives. I figured if they were collectible great, if not, I have two great knives to carry. I just didn't want to destroy any collector value by using them. Especially the 08 since what I read says they were discontinued in that year.
 
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