Whats a certificate worth?

G

gblade1

Joined
Jul 17, 2009
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Just received my Buck Limited addition, the Rush 290SP:

Here is a generic pic, unrelated to the seller:

http://picture.yatego.com/images/486...um_Nitride.jpg

While it was advertised as coming with a certificate of authenticity (only 1000 of these were made), the knife did not and the seller can't seem to find it.

Im sure I could return it for a full refund but I REALLY like the knife :o . So my question is 1) how important is that certificate on the market and 2) If the knife cost so many dollars (say $250-$350), how much LESS should it cost if it's missing the certificate?

Would appreciate your thoughts!

PS I'm keeping the the seller and the transaction anonymous here but they are a pretty big place...good reputation, etc.

PPS. Some websites describe the inlays as MASTODON bark while others just call them ivory. Any insight?
 
Mastodon Bark is ivory from the extinct beasts.... The "bark" refers to the outer layer of the tusk that was in contact with the soil and minerals that usually stain the ivory and gives it that color. The texture is caused by wear when the mastodon was using the tusks plus the associated wear or interaction with acids, minerals, freezing and other potential factors that cause different "Bark" features and patterns.

I think "certificates of authenticity" are way over rated. I don't even call my information cards I send with my knives a "COA" as in my opinion they don't mean anything.

In my case the card I send is referenced to the knife number and photo records associated with every knife I sell including personal communications, printed website listings or even the Ebay listing. My cards are hand printed and signed by me to further authenticate one of my works.

Anyone can create most of the COA's I have seen with a simple copier!
 
A C.O.A. is important to me for LE's and special projects knives especially. If given the choice between two of them, one with and one without all the paperwork, I'll go with the complete one everytime. I'm willing to pay more for it than the one without.

Many of mine give information on the C.O.A. about the handle material that you would have to guess at or do a bunch of research to determine what it was with out that info. Same goes for when it was built. Most of my LE's and special project knives have "custom" on the blade and no date stamp.
 
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Joe Houser is very busy right now but if you are not in a hurry I would send him a picture of the knife along with the description, model # and cat. # and see if he won't either find a certificate or make one for you.
 
this is a good question that deserves more discusson so bumping it
i used to think like Redrummd and looked for art knives with out the COA
as they were normanly much cheeper
but .....
with out one at the factory.. art test and sales man samples ect...
and buck data banks! ..
i had two Battleship knives each had diffrent scales then as listen in data
a COA if it has the correct SN can valdate that it may be a True error
or show that Bucks and BCCI data may need adjusting !
as a while ago i started buying dupclates of what i have already
jest to get a COA and sell the one i had with out ..
many think that it is a investment thing!
and this i dont really agree with
but i think it is important as a documentation of what was made
so what do you think ?
comments any one ?
 
Anyone caught in a situation like this should tell the seller you want a 15% refund and if he refuses neg him.

He made a bad mistake and will take responsibility for it if he's a reputable seller.

Buck may be able to provide you with a COA in at least some cases and you can find out by e-mailing Joe Houser on this forum.
 
Redrummd said:
I think "certificates of authenticity" are way over rated. I don't even call my information cards I send with my knives a "COA" as in my opinion they don't mean anything.
Click to expand...

The COA on some knives are VERY important.
I personally have a few that you need the COA to understand what the heck it is. Like my 12 inch long blade First Generation Phrobis Buckmaster Prototype with real signatures. Plus I have a few BuckMasters I bought from Paul Bos. Since Paul is retiring and it's kinda cool to have a COA hand signed by Mr Buck and Paul Bos....
 
It depends largely on whether the knife is to be a collection piece or a knife you carry and use. A COA on a user is unimportant. A collection piece is more valuable with a COA, as long as the COA is accurate. I've bought new knives from Buck and from dealers with the wrong COA enclosed, or something of a generic COA that doesn't describe the specific knife I bought. I don't think these would be of any importance. I think a hand signed COA is more valuable than one that can be color xeroxed.
 
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