Prices of vintage Dam Quick reels going up !

[festus]

Most of the older quality spinning reel inventory on da Bay is very cyclical. In the winter it's too cold and the weather is too inconsistent for the garage & yard salers to be out & about finding new discoveries to market, except maybe in CA, FL, TX, etc. About the only people selling new finds right now are those that deal in tackle buying by advertising. Inventory will start to pick up again in a month or two.

You sure got that right, Tommy. Lately the stock is back to normal and there have been some decent deals.  From five bucks to ten bucks, maybe two for $15 plus shipping.

[Midway Tommy]

Oh my! and there's still six days left!  

[JeffG]

This one's buy it now for 50 bucks less!!

[JeffG]

I guess the lower price days are over again till next winter! Even rough looking reels going high. Oh well, I think I did pretty good. Loving my DAM reels knowing I got them going with some elbow grease...and Penn grease. 😁

[oc1]

Never say anything flattering about an old reel in public until you have amassed your own lifetime supply of them.
-steve

[Frank]

Never say anything flattering about an old reel in public until you have amassed your own lifetime supply of them.
-steve

Please don't feed the lurkers.

[festus]

I have noticed within the past month or two the pricing on eBay and amazon of these fine reels has spiked noticeably, averaging $10-15 on good to fair condition reels, $20-30 on fine condition and hard to acquire models, the Microlite 265s are averaging $75+, 110 and 110n $45-55, even the common 550 and 270 which were going for next to nothing are $15-$25, the trick is to find a reel that some one has no clue as to is worth, as I did as a lawn sale, picked up SW68 very very cheap, I'm embarrassed to tell you the price, do I feel terrible, nope, I'm Happy, Happy, Happy like the gent on Duck Dynasty says ....

Paul

This post is going on two years old, but prices haven't spiked that much since. I'm still seeing some of the more common models such as the Finessas, 220,  330, and 550 with little paint or chrome loss going from $15 to $30. The higher speed 331 and 331N are still reasonable. The less common 221 can be affordable with a little patience.  Occasionally a fishable  110 or 110N may be found for less than 20 bucks, but more likely $30+ to $100.  Shipping is what's driving up the cost.  Here in East Tennessee D-A-M Quicks are scarce at yard sales, flea markets, and pawn shops, so buying online is practically the only option.

[Alto Mare]

I have noticed within the past month or two the pricing on eBay and amazon of these fine reels has spiked noticeably, averaging $10-15 on good to fair condition reels, $20-30 on fine condition and hard to acquire models, the Microlite 265s are averaging $75+, 110 and 110n $45-55, even the common 550 and 270 which were going for next to nothing are $15-$25, the trick is to find a reel that some one has no clue as to is worth, as I did as a lawn sale, picked up SW68 very very cheap, I'm embarrassed to tell you the price, do I feel terrible, nope, I'm Happy, Happy, Happy like the gent on Duck Dynasty says ....

Paul

This post is going on two years old, but prices haven't spiked that much since. I'm still seeing some of the more common models such as the Finessas, 220,  330, and 550 with little paint or chrome loss going from $15 to $30. The higher speed 331 and 331N are still reasonable. The less common 221 can be affordable with a little patience.  Occasionally a fishable  110 or 110N may be found for less than 20 bucks, but more likely $30+ to $100.  Shipping is what's driving up the cost.  Here in East Tennessee D-A-M Quicks are scarce at yard sales, flea markets, and pawn shops, so buying online is practically the only option.

As much as I would like for these to get up there and it would be well deserved, I agree with you Chester.

Price hasn't gone anywhere, there are a few sellers that think their reels are special, but for the most part, the price has remained dirt cheap.
Someone was selling 3- 270 for $49, no matter how they look, there is a bunch of parts in there that would make it more than worth it.

With that said, last year I purchased a large lot of Dam/Quick parts, my total with shipping was close to $700. I probably would have done better purchasing used reels and recycle the parts ... it is done now.

With the exception of the stupid hollow pin design that will most time fail when servicing, especially for someone that is not accustom to these, In my opinion they are actually better than Penn spinners, but don't even come close in value...maybe its the black ugly finish

I like the dam/quick reels, but wouldn't go crazy on price to purchase one.

Just my opinion, of course...

Sal

[basenjib123]

How about the prices on the JUNIOR DQ???  ...Insane.

[Alto Mare]

How about the prices on the JUNIOR DQ???  ...Insane.

Yup! those could get up there, but as mentioned above, Penn hold more value.
I sold a Penn 716 a couple of months back for $255, one of the same went for $355 a month ago.

Dam Quick has better anti-reverse, spool doesn't wobble as Penn and the option for left hand to right hand is also better.
But somehow, Penn holds more value.

Sal

[Midway Tommy]

Penn hold more value.
I sold a Penn 716 a couple of months back for $255, one of the same went for $355 a month ago.

Dam Quick has better anti-reverse, spool doesn't wobble as Penn and the option for left hand to right hand is also better.
But somehow, Penn holds more value.

Sal

The Penn Geenie & Z value has to be the "Made in USA" factor, a few parts availability and the fact that they have somewhat of a "cult" following. I've never really understood that excessive value aspect. IMHO, while they are a quality reel, they're not that much better quality than, say, USA made Shakespeares, Pfluegers, Eagle Claw, Sears, Ted Williams, South Bend spinners of that same era, and a few others like the Dams, etc. ABU made Cardinals are a little different deal because of the uniqueness of the drag/brake design but all the others I listed are of similar design and quality.

Interesting how certain perceptions influence the resale vale of some of those '60s & early '70s manufactured spinners. At least, though, Penn hung in there with some quality spinners when many of the others gave up. 

[basenjib123]

I never got the fascination with the "Greenies" ... Don't get me wrong,  they are great reels but the black spinfisher penn's are the same inside (as far as I know)...The greenies have a metal side plate as opposed to the plastic but other than that,  there is no difference, is there?  The green ones were the first of the spin fishers so maybe that is it..   I agree with the opinion of the DQ reels being a bit better built.   I do own both and like both but if I could only have one,  I would take the DQ's.

[oc1]

I chalk it up to Northeast surf casters.  Spinfishers were a huge hit with them and were THE spinner for long time.  Yeah, a cult, clubby sort of thing.  Sort of like that video we recently saw of casting 49 and 49A's for yellowtail in Australia.  Everybody had one. 

The Northeast surfcasters seemed to get a lot of attention and notoriety, especially when it came to Penn.  I grew up shorefishing along the Gulf, but we kept close tabs on what was going on in the Northeast and South Florida because that's where new equipment and techniques seemed to emanate from.

To this day, I'd pick and pay triple for a greenie over a DAM,  It's only because that's what I was conditioned to do by our cult/clubby group.  Yeah.... weird.

-steve

[TJAndrews]

As much as I would like for these to get up there and it would be well deserved, I agree with you Chester.

Price hasn't gone anywhere, there are a few sellers that think their reels are special, but for the most part, the price has remained dirt cheap.
Someone was selling 3- 270 for $49, no matter how they look, there is a bunch of parts in there that would make it more than worth it.

With that said, last year I purchased a large lot of Dam/Quick parts, my total with shipping was close to $700. I probably would have done better purchasing used reels and recycle the parts ... it is done now.

With the exception of the stupid hollow pin design that will most time fail when servicing, especially for someone that is not accustom to these, In my opinion they are actually better than Penn spinners, but don't even come close in value...maybe its the black ugly finish

I like the dam/quick reels, but wouldn't go crazy on price to purchase one.

Just my opinion, of course...

Sal

I'm not a collector, I just like to fish with the 331 I've owned for some 45 years. All I know is I went looking for a 330/331 last November, so I could retire an old Mitchell that I don't like nearly as well, and wound up buying one of each at $40 for the combo. All they needed was a little TLC, and now they're all ready to catch some walleyes and smallmouths if this winter ever ends.

I figure I got a bargain.

[foakes]

I figure I got a bargain.

Yes, you did, TJ —

And maybe more important than $$$ — after your rejuvenating these great old Quicks — You now have some very capable reels that will spend a lot of time with you on the water —

Good work that will be repaid over and over again.

Best,

Fred