penn 114h side plate color

[Striper Scott]

Does anyone know when Penn changed from the darker maroon red color side plates on the special senators to the lighter colored red?  I have been accumulating some 114 hlw's for this season and I have an equal amount of each.  Since the handle color has often been dismissed as an invalid way of gauging the age (they are all black), I am looking for any other way to make an educated guess.

[alantani]

not sure.  the guys at penn would be your best bet!

[Bill B]

Looking to resurrect this thread and maybe move it to penn vintage.....the only thing I can attest to in the limited number of Special Senator is my 114's, I have a maroon with posts and a red with full frame....could it be during the change from posts to frames it was made? Assuming Penn used up all the old stock maroon plates on the frames, there would be an over lap. To cloud the issue I have a 113 red with frame and 112 red with posts, but I do believe 112's were never offered with frames so maybe take them out of the equation...any opinions? Bill

[sdlehr]

Looking to resurrect this thread and maybe move it to penn vintage..... Bill

Done!

Sid

[Penn Chronology]

Does anyone know when Penn changed from the darker maroon red color side plates on the special senators to the lighter colored red?

Being that I am color blind, these questions always throw me. So, I went to the catalogs. According to the catalog, from 1964 to 1971 Penn stated that the side plates of the Special Senator are red. Then in 1972 and thereafter, Penn stops naming any color for the side plates. I believe the anniversary year models are maroon.
                Color is difficult to use for an aging gauge. When a reel is separated from its box and papers, sometimes determining the year of that reel is impossible.