9 replies to this topic

[david i]

I received the following email via the Vacumania site and have posted as well my response. Thoughts? Disagree with set value?

David - A friend on mine is considering purchasing a solid gold ( 14kt) Eversharp Skyline set from a local owner. The owner is also considering scrapping the set for gold bullion value. My friend is trying to establish a fair buy price to avoid having this unique set scrapped for gold value only. I am not sure of the condition of theset, I have not seen the set. But I understand that it is very nice.

Do you have any history of the value of this set and what would be a fair retail price if you were selling such a set.

Many thanks

Hi,

Very tough case, as Skyline is the most commonly found "big-5" pen in solid gold, and gold currently has a very high scrap value, of course. Shame to lose the pen.

Too, note the pen is 14k not 24k and pen/pencil both have significant non-gold weight (liners, mechanismsand the like). Even if both though "weigh" 1.5oz together, and half that is gold which is 14k (58%) you have roughly .25oz pure gold worth retail (not scrap wholesale) $300 or so.

Mint perfect sets ofthese can retail $400-500 (maybe push for bit more in high gold priceera). Dented examples... much less, couple-three hundred maybe

d

[david i]

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[Bart]

Hmmm. It seems, the fountain pen hobby market is mispricing these pens. Even with dents, I thought there is a lot more value to a vintage pen than just raw materials.

An investment opportunity?

[Paul E]

Hmmm. It seems, the fountain pen hobby market is mispricing these pens. Even with dents, I thought there is a lot more value to a vintage pen than just raw materials.

An investment opportunity?

Gold pens are incredibly rare in relation to the number of pens that are not gold. Of all the pens, the Skyline set mentioned probably has the most gold content of any set I am aware of. Still, I would not consider scrapping it for the gold even at today's gold prices. Here's something to try: weigh the set on a scale and figure out how many troy ounces there are. Keep in mind that 14k is only 14 parts of 24 gold- or 7/12ths gold. Once you get the total weight, probably about half that weight comes from pen parts that are not gold (there is no real way of finding out unless you totally disassemble the pen first and then weigh it). After you subtract the non-gold parts (be generous and say only one-third of the pen is comprised of non-gold parts)you will have to take it to someone who buys scrap gold and he is certainly going to grab a chunck of the value. So what are you left with? Try it as an exercise. Weigh the pen and let me know. Following all that I have outlined I'd be surprised if you came out with more that $225-$250 in scrap.
Besides, aren't we supposed to be the ones who preserve vintage pens? Tearing apart beautiful pens, pulling out nibs from perfectly good pens and selling them as scrap is an unsavory practice. Same if someone were to crush a magnificent piece of silver without any regard for its artistic value. No doubt, there are people who do. I just don't want to be one of them.

[vintage penman]

If some heathen scraps that set for its gold content I would quite merrily ban him from all pen boards forthwith. This is not a forum for scrap merchants.

[david i]

If some heathen scraps that set for its gold content I would quite merrily ban him from all pen boards forthwith. This is not a forum for scrap merchants.

Hey, I'm not recommending scrapping it.

Last thing I need is to be banned from another board

d

[Bart]

Refer your friend to post the pen on this board, I'm sure someone with funds (not me ) will offer to invest in this pen and save it from terrible fate.

[Rockyrod]

Hi David,
I think they should go for it and sell for scrap. Every pen that goes to the smelter makes my "Command Performance" set in the original box go up in value. I well remember the coin runs of the late 70's and early 80's when gold and silver had peak prices. The numismatic value of those same coins now are still well above the value of their content because what was once common became scarce. Weed out those that are in poor shape and watch what happens to the price of a "common" set.

Rod

[FarmBoy]

Hey, I'm not recommending scrapping it.

Last thing I need is to be banned from another board

d

Now that IS funny.

[David Nishimura]

You can get a pretty good idea of the gold content of an overlay pen (or pencil) by weighing it and then subtracting the weight of an equivalent, non-overlay model.  For greater accuracy, use a real beater, so you can selectively pull off parts that might skew the results (the nib, in most cases; in the case of the Skyline, the external parts of the clip that cover the spring steel substructure).  I've done this a few times with Waterman overlays, but haven't had the time to compile anything like a lengthy list.  Good to know, however, how much the scrap value of a given model really is -- and very useful when negotiating with a seller tempted by scrapping but unsure of how much it will yield.