Opinion Survey on serial numbers.

DeSotoSky

DeSotoSky

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Does anyone attribute extra value or desireability to a serial numbered knife for low numbers?
(Excluding something special like #1) Is #027/500 more desireable than say #427/500? I never give it much thought but sellers always seem to want to make a big deal out of it. Of course the seller has a different motive. What's the opinion on it out there for the buyer/collector?
 
Lower serial numbers don't mean anything to me personally. I think number 27 is the same as number 427. They are the same knife. If someone is selling the lower numbered knife for more then give me the higher numbered knife.
 
For me it's not so much extra value, but definitely desirability. I would choose 027/500 over 427/500 any day of the week as long as knife function and materials were the same.

I would take better stag over a low serial number though.

I have one of CJ's #2 knives and I have #7 on an Old North Church 500 Duke.
 
Unless the knife is a custom built, one of a kind, I don't see the purpose of a serial number on a knife. Even a Buck or GEC run of 25 or 50 numbers seems unnecessary to me in a production knife (even sillier is a 1 of 500 or 1 of 1000 number such as Case does from time to time). I prefer a knife with no number engraved on the bolster. OH
 
I agree with Old Hunter; I can do without the engraving.
 
I don't care for limited run knives, but if I had to buy one the lower the number the better, I prefer to get one of the first 10 of a run of a 100 or more, but it really has no bearing on the collector/monetary value of the knife.
 
I would also buy and pay a bit more for a lower numbered knife over a higher one.

But thats just me
 
I've often wondered if they even get to 500 on most of the knives that are numbered that way.

The demand probably often fizzles out before they get to that number.
 
I thought for sure there would be more opinions on this.

I do like it when I get a serialized knife that has a matching numbered COA and matching number on the box. Those knives are never users for me, but I have more users than I can use anyway. :)

Welcome to the forum Old Buck!!
 
I do like to see numbers on a LE knife (blade not bolster). However, like most they (numbers) don't add to the value IMHO. Why do I want to see the number on a LE knife? Because often there are over run parts that get made into a knife that is not part of the regular production run. These over run knives are more uncommon than the LE production run knives. An example of what I am saying is the BG-42 Master series knives, the over runs had no pressed checkering on the handles. Also, there are the first Proto/sample knives that are desirable to most folks (these often have no marks to ID them as to what they were for).

Now there are LE collectors who like and want the lower numbered knives and if enough folks commented to this post I'd bet it would be a 50/50 split on this topic. Also you really need to get more comments from the LE collectors, it's a tomato -vs- Tomoto type of thing (Kind of like asking a 300 slippy guy to comment on a 120 fixed blade). We are all individuals and all have our own likes and dislikes that's what makes collecting such fun. Have fun with the hunt for your next Buck knife, I sure do. I just wish I was a disciplined collector and could narrow my targeted pray;) as I just might have a chance at a better collection. I just like all knives "Buck" the ones that are a little pimped seem to draw me just a little more often these days than the plane Jane users.
jb4570
 
Old Buck said:
I've often wondered if they even get to 500 on most of the knives that are numbered that way. The demand probably often fizzles out before they get to that number.
Click to expand...

Sometimes that is true. The serialization is sometimes based on the merchants expected order total. It also happens that if a knife sells well they place additional orders and those knives will not be serialized so the total goes beyond the original serial number range. In one case, I believe I recall reading that the serial number range was repeated on a second order accidentally.... oops. Buck is a very transparent company when it comes to actual production numbers for collectors and the true information is often made available on the Special Projects Lists. It's this kind of stuff that keeps it interesting for me.
 
I like to look for low numbers... I like number 52 or 26, but I always look for 1 - 10... 52 is for the year I was born and 26 is
for the day I was born... So I guess I like serial numbers... I think number 1 knife could have been made last out of 500 or
even number 301 and so on... Who knows what number blade they picked first or last from the blade tray... :eek: ... ;)
 
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ItsTooEarly said:
I like to look for low numbers... I like number 52 or 26, but I always look for 1 - 10... 52 is for the year I was born and 26 is
for the day I was born... So I guess I like serial numbers... I think number 1 knife could have been made last out of 500 or
even number 301 and so on... Who knows what number blade they picked first or last from the blade tray... :eek: ... ;)
Click to expand...

I was born in 52 and on the 26th day of the month also. Bet you're older though...I was born the last month of the year...in December. :)
 
Stumps said:
I was born in 52 and on the 26th day of the month also. Bet you're older though...I was born the last month of the year...in December. :)
Click to expand...

Your right... September... Now I feel old... :eek: ... My moms birthday is 12/26 like yours... :) ...
 
I have a buck that's labeled 1243 I think it was out of 2500 (Buck 110 from 1984 with pewter scales featuring a deer scene)
 
I like to get numbers like 3,7,13, and I would jump on one if it was something I wanted, and #1 or # say 500 of 500 were available. But don't really see any real value in the numbers personally.
 
When I first started collecting (not that long ago) I though serialized knives where the cats meow. Soon after I started looking for differences in the serialized versus the same year without numbers and could seen no difference. I sold every one! Serial number knives seem to me just to be another sales gimmick. I am definitely no expert, just giving my honest opinion. Now when I see a knife that appeals to me, if it has a serial number, I pass it by. I just don't like all that writing on the knife.
And for you youngsters out there who are saying you feel old, just how old is that?? i am past social security age. To me old is a number. In my mind and body I have reached my maximum age of 39.
Just like Jack Benny. :encouragement:
 
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