Low Serial Numbers

T

Thor7900

Joined
Oct 9, 2014
Messages
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From a collectors standpoint is it worth paying extra money for a lower serial number knife..
Let's say both knives are In Excellent Condition BNIB.. Is it worth it?
 
It's just a personal thing and bragging rights. Some will pay more for a favorite number. That's all.
 
Personally I'd rather let the manufacturer get the kinks out of something and not buy from the first batch of a new product. But I'm not really much of a collector.
 
Some people collect different numbers for different reasons, 7, 8 or 13 for luck, I've heard of people collecting #12, or all the #14, 15 and 16, etc so it would be worth more to the particular people collecting these numbers.

#001 will always be worth more in my opinion because it's just plain cool to have #001. Personally I'd rather have a #001 serial than a marked prototype if the prototype doesn't offer anything special over a regular production, and if there are a few dozen prototypes.
 
Its more of a collector thing than anything (and possibly a way to check if there is a bad batch for the company), if you plan on using the knife, the value of a serial number really is meaningless.

Companies, like benchmade, who do first production runs I wouldn't mine trying to snag one of those as long as extra cost isn't that much more just for the extra cool factor.
 
Yeah, I think it's more the special or 'kinky' numbers that will add value. Just being 'lower,' not necessarily. 111, yes. 114, not so much.
 
I already have the ZT 0350OR serial number in the 1100's but someone has a serial #0025 for $165 and was debating if it was worth buying.. I'll never use it, it's for my collection
 
I really think that comes down to the individual knife and who makes it.

I have seen dealers sell different numbers of the same LE at different prices!

There is always a market for that, it's not always strong though, and it usually takes a while for a number to bring value....
 
Everything is worth what someone will pay.

Collectors are many and so are opinions.

Personally, no, I put no additional value on low numbers.
 
Depends on what kind of collector you are, the rest of the collectors in that community, and the specific run.

If it's a 1-of-100, it probably doesn't matter. If it's a 1-of-1000, then lower or 'special' numbers would probably be best.
 
I always go for later serial numbers. Its my own theory and experience that the earlier knives on a run are not as well made as the later numbers. I have bought early numbers and later numbers of the same knife and found the fit and finish was better on the knives that were made later in the run, could be coincidental but it works for me.
 
numbers are just that...numbers, and since I use all my knives (unless I really like a design and buy doubles to save one back), they mean nothing to me.
 
I don't think it increases value much, especially un-numbered First Production Run knives, but it does make the knife more interesting. And even if it's not more valuable, it is more desirable to collectors should you wish to re-sell in the future. Two knives for sale at the same price, one with a serial number and one without, and only one collector shopping at the moment, I bet he picks the one with the number or First Production etch.
 
Chinese numerology is alive and well!

That means, for example, that the ZT 0888 is already coveted, sight unseen. A knife model ending in "4" would be unlucky.

The wiki entry for Chinese numerology gives a pretty comprehensive introduction. Note that sometimes numbers cancel others out ... or augment them.

As for individual serial numbers, you could interpret them in various combinations. A ZT 0454, nominally "bad", might be turned lucky if the serial is good. The Chinese interpretation can be very flexible in that way. :) Also note that good and bad are relativistic moral judgments, and you might want a knife's intrinsics to be bad just to get the job done. ;)
 
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