Sk8man

Cool Ed!

I think you'll have to contact someone who does auctions on fishing stuff or someone who deals in antique fishing gear for pricing....

I had one of the 1960's boxes down cellar in with my tackle but I think I "tossed" it a couple years ago when trying to "organize" my stuff Always seems to be my motto - "throw out the good stuff and keep the junk"

Good one Ed!

Here's a contact page - http://www.rapala.com/Contact-Us/customer-contact-us,default,pg.html?fdid=rapala-contact-us&id=1

Suggestion - Normark is the company that makes Rapalas (I think was once "Fiskers") I'd send them some good pics and see what they say.

My input was based on my own personal memory (which I find suspect myself sometimes ). I am curious though about what made the "prior to 1972" determination in your research ? The pricing sure suggested that too.

I sure second that on both counts!

Glad you are having some luck with things Marty....not easy selling your favorite stuff...best of luck to you. Hang in there bud. Les

Steelydan''s point is a good one....."to the right buyer" and I'd add "at the right venue" (e.g. auction or other gathering of lure collectors)

The pricing sounds more like late 60's to early 70's to me. The ones before about the late 80's said 'Finland" on the belly area - newer ones say "floating or "jointed" etc.). I think during the late 80's or 90's the boxes were reddish orange with black writing too. That size 18 may be older than the others too but the plastic protector may be an after market hook protector. See if the lures say Finland on the bottom of the stomach for starters. I don't believe they had the " jointed floaters in the 60's to my knowledge anyway. Those colors are definitely not 60's colors (orange/gold and Blue Mullet). I think the ones 60's or before had seams down either side of the stomach rather than a painted appearance without them. Lures used or unused don't seem to hold much of their original value on here. To replace them with new lures at retail though it would be well over a couple hundred bucks. On the other hand Rapalas are one of the best multi-species lures known to mankind so they are a welcome addition to any tackle box

They look like they may be the 2nd generation originals.. are they made from balsa wood or the next generation from that some sort of composite? the colors are newer than the real old ones that were just silver and black and gold and black and bodies were thinner and were definitely made from balsa wood with a paperish type covering not painted per se. My hunch is they are from the mid to late 70's or so. Hard to say what they may be worth....one of the most popular lures since the early 60's (for me anyway)...could have been around much before that too in Europe and Finland in particular andnot really rare as millions of them have been in circulation. I'd be using them if it were me....the older ones were better balanced than these new ones. Also the boxes on the old ones were more greenish in color.

We are a pretty crazy bunch aren't we?

Ah thanks for the info.

Thanks....me too! So Onanda wasn't open?

Nice going on the fishing. I was wondering what the status is of the Woodville launch....is it iced in yet? You sound like me (getting excited over the tackle) I spent the afternoon making up some home made trolling flies....I guess I won't be putting Atomic out of business anytime soon with mine