How much people will pay for wooden racquet ?

Rorsach

Hall of Fame
Depends on the brand and the rarity. And the quality of course.


I'll pay a hell of a lot more for one of those green paintjobbed woodies Mecir used than for a standard big-box brand racquets.
 

HRB

Hall of Fame
Even some of the most popular woodies ever sold and used can be found in garage sales for $1 quite commonly. They simply don't command value....go to the "bay" you'll find tons under $5!
 

joe sch

Legend
I suspect you mean a modern wood racket used to play tennis in the open era ?

The most expensive rackets are usually the popular player models like the Borg (donnay, bancroft) and McEnroe rackets (dunlop and wilson) and these are usually around 100 for new old stock (NOS). The exception is the Borg pro which would be more like 200+ for NOS. Other NOS player woods can often be found for $75 for NOS like Wilson JKA. Models in good playable condition can often be found for deals like $25 to $50.

Wood rackets from the 1800s can cost over $1000 depending on maker, model, and condition. Early 1900 wood rackets can often be found for a deal like $25 ..75 in excellent condition, even playable if you really want to try an early wood.
 

Baxter

Professional
I suspect you mean a modern wood racket used to play tennis in the open era ?

The most expensive rackets are usually the popular player models like the Borg (donnay, bancroft) and McEnroe rackets (dunlop and wilson) and these are usually around 100 for new old stock (NOS). The exception is the Borg pro which would be more like 200+ for NOS. Other NOS player woods can often be found for $75 for NOS like Wilson JKA. Models in good playable condition can often be found for deals like $25 to $50.

Wood rackets from the 1800s can cost over $1000 depending on maker, model, and condition. Early 1900 wood rackets can often be found for a deal like $25 ..75 in excellent condition, even playable if you really want to try an early wood.

I've found playable woodies for as low as $3.99. My recommendation is to avoid **** and hit the thrifts unless you want something right away and don't mind the shipping premium. There are literally millions out there. That's why they're so cheap. Look for low wear and no warping and stick with the ones players actually used, not the K Mart specials.
 

joe sch

Legend
I've found playable woodies for as low as $3.99. My recommendation is to avoid **** and hit the thrifts unless you want something right away and don't mind the shipping premium. There are literally millions out there. That's why they're so cheap. Look for low wear and no warping and stick with the ones players actually used, not the K Mart specials.

Sure, there are many searchers and pickers out there but as you know, it takes time and travel to look for such bargains.

This thread was asking: "How much people will pay for wooden racquet ?" so I was assuming online purchase.
 

Baxter

Professional
Sure, there are many searchers and pickers out there but as you know, it takes time and travel to look for such bargains.

This thread was asking: "How much people will pay for wooden racquet ?" so I was assuming online purchase.

Is there anywhere but you know where to buy rackets on line? Etsy has a few in their "vintage" section but pricing is all over the place.
 

struggle

Legend
Is there anywhere but you know where to buy rackets on line? Etsy has a few in their "vintage" section but pricing is all over the place.

check your local c-list, or front range area. you'll find something eventually.

and no joke, hit goodwill and the other thrift shops, habitat etc.
 

BLX_Andy

Professional
I got an old Bancroft Junior Wood racquet from my local Church's thrift shop (temporary, few days a year) for about $1.50.
 

Hannah19

Professional
I suspect you mean a modern wood racket used to play tennis in the open era ?

The most expensive rackets are usually the popular player models like the Borg (donnay, bancroft) and McEnroe rackets (dunlop and wilson) and these are usually around 100 for new old stock (NOS). The exception is the Borg pro which would be more like 200+ for NOS. Other NOS player woods can often be found for $75 for NOS like Wilson JKA. Models in good playable condition can often be found for deals like $25 to $50.

Wood rackets from the 1800s can cost over $1000 depending on maker, model, and condition. Early 1900 wood rackets can often be found for a deal like $25 ..75 in excellent condition, even playable if you really want to try an early wood.

To be honest, you are way to optimistic with your mentioned prices.
The market as collapsed. I tried to sell an n.o.s. Borg Pro with some paint cracks for 39.95.......no bids at all.
N.o.s. Fila's......no sale at 29.95.
So called highly collectable Slazenger V-24 has plummeted from 249.00 in 2008 to a mere 50.00 now.
Pitty, let's hope the market will improve together with the economy.
 

Hannah19

Professional
Trouble is, your target market (those who nostalgically remember playing wood)
is dying off... literally! :neutral:

Well, I have to disagree with that, atleast here in the Benelux.
Due to classic tournaments the interest in wooden rackets is increasing, however, people are not yet willing to spend a lot since there is an abundance of woodies to be found in the Dutch and Belgium thrift stores and flea markets.

Wooden rackets are being rediscovered and prices may one day go up again.
 

Tamiya

Semi-Pro
Vintage comps sound interesting but nothing like that happening locally here afaik.

Would be more interesting if it were limited to "small head" and allow
the composite & metal sticks fom the 70s :)
 

MAXXply

Hall of Fame
Hannah19 you make it sound like wood rackets are to be spoken in the same breath as blue-chip shares, expensive French wine or Impressionist paintings sold at auction for millions of dollars.

As you said, there is an abundance of still-good condition woodies to be found at thrift stores if one is prepared to look for it. The days of triple figures for an ordinary woodie are over.

If you can make your wood collection pay off for you in a meaningful way like, for example, pay for your pension one day or fund your grandchildren's expensive college fees then I am all for it and congratulate you. But those days are not coming back.
 

Hannah19

Professional
Vintage comps sound interesting but nothing like that happening locally here afaik.

Would be more interesting if it were limited to "small head" and allow
the composite & metal sticks fom the 70s :)

Some tournament rules do allow period comps and metals to be used.
However, people tend more towards the woodies since they are much more comfortable to play with.
 

Hannah19

Professional
Hannah19 you make it sound like wood rackets are to be spoken in the same breath as blue-chip shares, expensive French wine or Impressionist paintings sold at auction for millions of dollars.

As you said, there is an abundance of still-good condition woodies to be found at thrift stores if one is prepared to look for it. The days of triple figures for an ordinary woodie are over.

If you can make your wood collection pay off for you in a meaningful way like, for example, pay for your pension one day or fund your grandchildren's expensive college fees then I am all for it and congratulate you. But those days are not coming back.

True, I collect and trade to keep the collection healthy. I know there is no living to be made in trading old racets but I'm hoping that the value will get back to the level of, let's say, 2007/2008.
 

Tamiya

Semi-Pro
True, I collect and trade to keep the collection healthy. I know there is no living to be made in trading old racets but I'm hoping that the value will get back to the level of, let's say, 2007/2008.

meh, no collectables have recovered back to preGFC values
Not vintage toys, not old computers (unless you've got an Apple I),
not luxury Swiss watches, not firearms, not philately nor numismatism.

Classic car values could be rising again but still a fraction of peak
& not across the board, only for certain rare models.
 

joe sch

Legend
True, I collect and trade to keep the collection healthy. I know there is no living to be made in trading old racets but I'm hoping that the value will get back to the level of, let's say, 2007/2008.


Cheers to that.
I enjoy playing them, displaying them, and spreading the word.
Hope I never need to sell rackets at a loss and Im waiting for the markets to improve.
 

retrowagen

Hall of Fame
meh, no collectables have recovered back to preGFC values
Not vintage toys, not old computers (unless you've got an Apple I),
not luxury Swiss watches, not firearms, not philately nor numismatism.

Classic car values could be rising again but still a fraction of peak
& not across the board, only for certain rare models.

Classic car prices have risen and - in quite a few cases - are near the investor-driven peak of 1989 on the most valuable specimens with the best provenance.

It's another bubble that will ultimately burst. :neutral:
 

rodracquet

Rookie
I bought two racquets this last summer on the website I also sell on and one of these sold for a staggering $525. Granted it was a rare 1930's diamond strung model made here in Australia. But still the level of competition shocked me.

Condition is everything. Not so caught up on strings being broken or not but as long as the paint work is really nice then that is a great start. Then add unusual shape, player pic, signatures etc....and they become very collectable. Many thrift shop racquets are damaged to much or a mix of nondescript models. I passed one Dunlop up today which was OK and $8 but if I sold it no one would have ever heard of it.

I agree that if you can find player racquets that is a treat also.

Being in Australia I have found the OS market quite good for local product probably because the 1950's 1960's and 1970's saw many Australian models for all of our champion players. The USA and UK racquets they used were made in such large volumes like Bancroft, Rawlings, Seamco, Wilson etc that they don't bring much even online.

The real travesty within the wood market is the 1920's-1930's scored wood grip racquets. They all look so alike that once you have 4 you wonder why you need any more. At least the decal and colour era provided some much needed differentiation which does create a nice wall display. Yet to find a really nice one still has me very tempted.

Wood racquets heading past 1900 to 1800 are holding up well and then with flat top and the occasional unique feature prices start to hike up.

Really appreciate the skill and effort that went into wood racquet making so urge all collectors to make sure they find and hold onto a few examples from every decade. And the throw in nice examples of metal as well Dayton, Birmal and Slazenger (UK) and some others.
 
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