molten

Campagnolo is reputed for (not only highest quality & highest performance, but also for) Consistency. So why is serial# so big a deal to the valuing of it, in the selling market. Consistency shall remain from lowest to highest serial#.

CliffordK

I haven't paid attention to the serial number.

However, perhaps having the number indicates a boxed set, rather than pieced together from stuff off of E-Bay, or perhaps even, clones.

Would having #1 be worth something?

indyfabz

Subscribed.

tgenec86

Why does a Hermes purse that costs $100 to make sell for $10K? Exclusivity, ego, and a pathological need for many human beings to feel superior and have a status symbol to "prove' it.

That being said, imagine finding a box of Campy components, S/N 42, unopened and unused in an Estate Sale, buying it for $20 and then finding an EGO (ie... person) to sell it to for $2,000! In that case, I'm all for low numbers!

cyccommute 

Well, the first one...0001... in is the Campagnolo museum and the second one...0002... was presented to John Paul Iim so it's in the Vatican somewhere (Aside: did the Pope have a bicycle?). The rest are up for grabs. I've actually seen two of them in my life...one in a shop that was more than I could afford...and one actually on a bike that I didn't really want. 'Tis a beautiful set.

CliffordK

Oh, so 001 is too hot to handle... if one ends up with that one, build it into a bike as quickly as possible, then don't tell anybody where it came from.

002... Oh... would that be like like building a bike out of the bones of a Saint? Perhaps it would be considered a Saintly Miracle if I could take those parts to win the Giro d' Italia.

Of course, if the parts were stolen from a saint... one might as well give up and just don the Black Jersey (Maglia Nera)

CliffordK

Whew... those are definitely LOW NUMBERS... at least by E-Bay standards.

TiHabanero

Collectors are a curious bunch. The "rarity" of an item dictates price. Honus Wagner baseball card a year or two ago sold for over 3 million dollars. Why? Because only a few hundred were released to the public, and only a few are known to exist today. There is only one serial number 001, making it "rare" in the eyes of the collector. Was into Porsche for a while, and the collector is crazy about production numbers, serial numbers, etc. Just something collectors do.

CliffordK

Unless someone was playing it fast and loose with the nubers, there was also only one with serial number 5000. And, only one with the number 3,286.

shelbyfv

Be cautious if your "friend" wants to give you a set, regardless of number.

Moe Zhoost

My understanding is that the original issue was limited to only 10,000 sets but because of demand they continued production. Having a set in the original issue group is certainly a plus, like a first edition of a famous book. You're right that the quality was consistent throughout the production so the esthetic and functional value would show no difference. Collector's value is a whole nuther thing that confounds logic and causes normal people to do odd things.

When I bought my Colnago Super in 1983, it was fitted with the Anniversary set as a promotion, though the extra cost was not much at all. I rode it like that for over 10 years before I came to the crazy thought that 1) it may be collectable and 2) I may be affecting future value by continuing to use the gruppo. It was then that I made an odd (and out of character) decision that I have often regretted: I stripped the Anniversary gruppo and replaced with SR. The bike rides the same, but with a bit less magic. Meanwhile the 50th gruppo is sitting lonely in a cardboard box in my shop awaiting something ... ??? ... I don't know. After seeing the recent post on the Paul anniversary bling stuff, I'm tempted to remount all of it and just ride, collectability be damned.

Slightspeed

No idea about serial numbers, but I've seen three 50th Anniversary sets on bikes that friends actually ride, and one set hanging in a frame display in a restuarant. I'd rather ride them than hang them on the wall.

This set is hanging on the wall at Pedlar's Fork restuarant, coffee shop, and bike shop in Calabasas, CA. Sorry for the poor quality picture.

A friend in my bike club just grabbed this Cinelili with a mostly complete anniversary group for less than I've seen some 50th Anniversary group sets sell for individually. This is "as bought". He was able to source a few missing parts separately, and it is now complete.

Cyclist753

..

Cyclist753

..

Kabuki12

Collecting is , for a lot of people , just thing we do sort of like a hobby. Speaking for myself , it is the challenge of finding that part or bike that is hard to find and adding it to my stable. I ride them all and enjoy the heck out of polishing and maintaining my collection. The monetary value is secondary as I rarely sell anything. Right now classic bikes are very inexpensive for whatever reason and I am seeing low prices on bikes that 5 years ago would have commanded top $$$. So I have added to my collection of bikes / and Campy spare parts . I have stumbled on to some pretty amazing deals on hard to find . A Schwinn Paramount NOS wheel set complete with freewheel and silk racing tires for $46 with the most pristine High Flange Record hubs and flat skewers I ever saw. Twice I happened on to Campagnolo Superleggeri Ti spindle pedals in good shape for under $50! It is a good time to get what you are looking for . That, to me , is the thrill of "collecting". I traded the wheel set for a similar used set to a member who had a Paramount that should of had the wheels and the pedals are on my bikes. Joe joesvintageroadbikes.wordpress

molten

I would think Christmas Time be the more expensive time that Sellers List. As there be more searching/demand, at such time.

Reynolds 

Collectors are willing to pay absurdly high prices for anything rare and scarce. Ever heard about Rolex Comex?

Cyclist753

..

CheezheadinMD

Good afternoon everyone. There is a set for sale with the Serial #5000s . The owner said it was he isn't sure about the thread as he isn't a bike rider and the set is being sold for an acquaintance. Is there a way to know which country/thread it is based on the serial number?

Here is what I know from the post
Crank length: 170 mm 53T / 42T
Seatpost diameter: 26.8 mm
BB: JIS

Sincerely, Michael

MarkinOz

As far as I’ve been able to research, having just acquired a Campagnolo 50th Anniversary Groupset mounted on a yet to be determined frame, anything with a serial number within the 1st 5000 is considered “of greater collectibility than higher serial numbers. I’m assuming this is because the initial production run was limited to that number.
My set is numbered #0698 and is ultimately worth only what a collector is willing to pay if it were ever for sale. Personally, it’s value is in the craftsmanship, the joy I’ll get from restoring this piece of cycling history and ultimately using it as it was intended.

CheezheadinMD

I absolutely agree. I am awaiting the same 'perfect project.'

The challenge that I have here is he isn't sure about which thread is the set and he is asking close to $5000 USD. I own a complete one, NOS, never mounted but it is #9547 . This one is in good shape but the seller just doesn't inspire me with confidence.

Thanks for the reply.

MarkinOz

Not sure how you can tell the thread for the BB if already attached to a frame. I know the hubs have the thread type etched on them.
Is the groupset you’re looking at #5000??

CheezheadinMD

Yes, according to him the groupset is #5000 . But some of the dimensions of the pieces are a bit off like the seat post diameter. It is in a box but the pictures I have asked for haven't been good enough to tell. high percentage it is Italian but perhaps it is British threads. The bottom bracket, he says, is JIS. What is that Japanese Industrial Standard (like ISO?). He isn't the owner but is just selling it for someone.

JohnDThompson 

It's stamped right on the cups, just like other Campagnolo bottom brackets.

MarkinOz

Do you know where this Groupset is being sold from?? The reason i ask is that i was reading a Campagnolo 50th Anniversary Facebook thread where a guy in New Zealand was talking about his Groupset that was numbered #5000 . He knew a lot about the groups and said he had researched a lot before making the purchase. Surely if he was selling it he'd give you more info then you are currently getting??