Price Guide

[fitzroe]

Why do 1970 case knives value higher than most other years?

[jerryd6818]

I think it has something to do with being the first year they went to the dot system of dating their knives. Other than that, you need to wait on someone who buys them because not being a Case collector, I don't understand it either.

BTW, I'd like to take this opportunity to belatedly welcome you to AAPK.

[Mumbleypeg]

I think it has something to do with being the first year they went to the dot system of dating their knives. Other than that, you need to wait on someone who buys them because not being a Case collector, I don't understand it either.

BTW, I'd like to take this opportunity to belatedly welcome you to AAPK.

What drives prices is always a bit curious but I think jerry is right. 1970 was the first year Case used a "date code" system of sorts on their knives.

Prior to that, stamping changes were just incidental to new tooling changes or legal requirements, like having to add country of origin markings. The 1970 change to yearly stamp changes was acknowledgement that folks were starting to collect their knives and cared when they were made. Which turned out a stroke of marketing genius. JMO

Ken

[XX Case XX]

Why do 1970 case knives value higher than most other years?

Well, that kind of depends on exactly what you mean. Do you mean "1970", or do you mean "1970's"?

Let's break this down a bit shall we? These three (basic) era's are arguably the most collected:

1. XX Era: 1940-64.
2. USA Era: 1965-69.
2. Original Dot: 1970-79.

If you're referring to 70's Case, starting in the year of 1970, Case placed 10 "Dots" on the tang stamp of their folding knives. Each new year until 1979, Case subtracted/deleted one dot. So a 1970 Case would have 10 dots, 1971 has 9 dots, 1972 has 8 dots, etc.

Like any other collected item, people want the "first edition", "premier issue", or basically "No.1". So as far as original dot era Case, and condition being equal, in most cases (no pun intended), a 10-dot will usually carry a higher price tag. Unlike XX & USA Case, a 10-dot gave you the exact year the knife was made. On a USA era knife for example, it could have been made in 1966 or 1968. Who knows?


Look at it this way. I like NASCAR in a BIG way (well I used to when it was "Winston Cup" (1971-2003). Therefore I sometimes collect certified autographed cards of my favorite driver. In 2002, there were several of the same identical autographed cards on eBay. They are all numbered from the factory to 50. I wanted #1 of those 50 cards and I paid for it even though all the other 49 cards were identical. Card #1 sold for about $30 more than card # 37. Why? Because it's #1. No other reason.

The same thing applies to knives or just about any other collected item, like cars, guns, motorcycles, anything that might carry a number from the factory. People will take a 6-dot if that's the only thing they can afford, but I guarantee you they would take a 10-dot if they could, and the knife met all other requirements.

Hope this helps-Mike

[fitzroe]

Mike
I can understand that.

[XX Case XX]

Mike
I can understand that.

Probably more information than you needed but I like to be thorough.

__________
Mike

[Sharpnshinyknives]

Mike
I can understand that.

One thing I found last year when I sold through a massive collection I bought, was that baby boomers are often willing to pay a lot to get a certain knife that they want. I had several inquires about certain years, mostly from the 70’s where someone wanted a certain year that coincided w/ their graduation, marriage, child born, etc. I think some of this is fondness for their lost youth and trying to get something back from that era. W/ the dating system started in 1970 it made it possible for collectors to pin point the exact year and knife they wanted. I also had people who collected every pattern Case made for a certain year.
The psychology of collecting would be an interesting study.
Also a belated welcome to the forum.
SSk

[TwoFlowersLuggage]

I was in high school in the 70's. I would rather forget most of that time...

[gunut]

my daughter was born in 74 and my son in 78....so most of the knives I give them are from their birth year....I personally like the 90-93 date stamped knives.....

[RalphAlsip]

In addition to reasons already mentioned, an observation I have is the bone used for handles on the 10 dot 1970 knives was especially pretty and differentiates them from most of the later 1970's knives.

[Treejakal]

One possibility: 1970 is when the was a ban on Stag and a lot of collectors grabbed the 1970 stags because they were limited in number and possibly thinking there would not be any more in the future. The interest may have spilled over to bone handled knives. JMO

[jerryd6818]

Welcome to AAPK 'gunut'. Glad to have you aboard.

my daughter was born in 74.

So was mine and my son too. They're five days apart (he's adopted from a second marriage).