What value would you place on this limited edition JK Autograph

Virginia

Virginia

Hall of Fame
Wilson replicated the original wood Jack Kramer autograph tennis racket as a hypercarbon Limited Edition Jack Kramer Autograph tennis racket. The original wood Jack Kramer was first introduced in 1948 and had sales of 10 million units --the #1 selling Wilson racket of all time. These wood racket stopped selling in 1984.The racket has similar cosmetics to the original wood model, and features Hyper Carbon technology.

The racket is numbered and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity (racket is 0/2000, bought at Lillywhites in London).
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I have the opportunity to purchase the above racquet locally. It's mint, includes the original cover and is strung with the originally supplied strings, but without the original box. The seller has confirmed that it's numbered 0/2000 Europe, so that's added value presumably.

What sort of value would you put on this?
 
Virginia said:
I have the opportunity to purchase the above racquet locally. It's mint, includes the original cover and is strung with the originally supplied strings, but without the original box. The seller has confirmed that it's numbered 0/2000 Europe, so that's added value presumably.

What sort of value would you put on this?
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Anywhere from $150 to $250 USD.
 
It is a pro staff 95, right? Hypercarbon, is it?
With a paintjob of a Kramer Autograph, a Fairway and a number.

I'd say the racquet's worth $50. The Fairway is worth $15. The number thing is another $50. $115 total.
Virginia, I know you are a collector. I just do not see this as a collectible.
But if you like it, I'd personally go $115.

Are you going to hit with it or just keep it like this guy did for the past 10 yrs, then try to sell it so as not to lose money?

I might be an idiot, but here is what I would do:
Get a racquet you like to play with. Get two or three.
Find a Kramer Autograph on an auction site or at a thrift store. Place it on your wall. Keep it in your bag. String it with gut. Play with it.

WAY cooler than the 0 of 2000.
 
No, it isn't a pro staff. It's a Limited Edition JK Autograph - originally came in a box with a certificate of authenticity. 300 were produced for Australia, 2000 for Europe and and I don't know how many for the States, or other parts of the world.

With the number 0/2000 - especially that zero, I'd say it has considerable value as a collectors' item. I just wanted to know what the afficianodos here thought.

I'd also like to know whether any of you have one. :)
 
I also note that joe of woodtennis.com was advertising these for sale for $299 - with a suggested retail of 399.99.

Also one on the bay with a start price of $400 and a BIN of $500.
 
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Virginia said:
Thanks, Tennis Man - that's a fairly big range though - what does it depend on?
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It really depends on what people are willing to pay for it. When I first saw it, I thought I could pay $500 but then I found many in $120-150 range. The highest I sold one on **** was $250.

In sum, there is nothing special about it other then the looks (you know what they say about blond girls) :). There were at least 4 of these limited batches on different continents. The truth it's not a really good playing racquet. From what I heard and my personal experience, Maxply Mcenroe is much more solidly build and cheaper, too.

It's still a nice item to have in your collection and definitely a "head turner" at any club. At my club people always paid attention to the funny looking racquets that I played with, like JK LME, Snawaert Ergonom or Lacoste Equijet ("broken on both sides"). :)
 
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Fair enough, but you wouldn't really want to play with a commemorative racquet like this, so its playability is of little relevance. It can't be compared to the McEnroe racquet really, which is very playable and intended to be so - Mac actually plays with it, I believe.
 
I had one for a couple of years and sold it for a shade over $100. It was unstrung, with box and certificate. This was before I developed my 'racket wall' that now holds over 80 models. Do I wish I had it back? Meh, as they say. The production wasn't nearly as limited as they first suggested--especially in the States(so I was told by a VERY large specialty shop(s) owner). Absolutely beautiful racket, IMO; but not much of a hitter based on reviews. Thirty years ago, it would have been the type of racket you would give as a very nice thank-you gift or commemorative item. These, I'm afraid, were just paintjobs with 'limited' production.

Honestly, I don't see the 'zero' designation as a 'value' point. Sounds like it could have been a 'sample', 'demo' or 'freebie'. Being strung lowers the value a bit, IMO. I'd stop at $100...it'll be ANOTHER 10+ years before they become so scarce as to show an appreciation, I believe; so investment-wise, it's pretty weak.

As the final 'chapter' in a full representation of JK 'Autographs', it would look cool! How much is THAT worth?
Good luck!
 
Virginia said:
Fair enough, but you wouldn't really want to play with a commemorative racquet like this, so its playability is of little relevance. It can't be compared to the McEnroe racquet really, which is very playable and intended to be so - Mac actually plays with it, I believe.
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au contraire, I only keep the racquets that I play with (and hope to preserve them, too).

I have 2 of them, all original, with cases, certificates, Fairway leather and strung with Natural gut (very low, like 50 lb). I use them for casual hitting and double play and they are just fine for that. It's more like a fashion statement among the gear. :)

If I was an investor in tennis racquets, I'd load up on original Head Prestiges, PS 85 St Vincent and Lacoste Equijets as my favorites and best values out there. However, I'm not an investor/collector any more. So I keep a few nice ones to play with and pass the mint ones to the more desperate collectors. :)
 
coachrick said:
Honestly, I don't see the 'zero' designation as a 'value' point. Sounds like it could have been a 'sample', 'demo' or 'freebie'. Being strung lowers the value a bit, IMO. I'd stop at $100...it'll be ANOTHER 10+ years before they become so scarce as to show an appreciation, I believe; so investment-wise, it's pretty weak.

Good luck!
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I haven't seen an unstrung one, if it did come from the UK it would of been strung up before it got to the shop. I know a shop local to me had them up for similar prices to the regular frame in the end then it was beloW £100 iirc, I always meantt o go back and check on them, forgot and they'd been sold!Those were numbered in the low 200s and mid 300s IIRC.
Now, If it's got al it's bits i expect it'd reach £100 on here prob less through **** unless as coachrick says you find a kramer collector.If it was in the UK a 0 would be for a store like llillywhites (well how it used to be anyway) so that'd make sense.
 
Dave, do you mean there might have been others sold at lillywhites with a zero number?

I suppose at the end of the day, they're only worth what people are willing to pay. Here in New Zealand, they are certainly very scarce and a collector friend of mine, who has two of them, which he got from Australia, would have been willing to sell me one of them, but not at the price this particular one is going for. He'd want quite a bit more.

I've put a bid on it now, so there's no going back, unless someone else makes a bid. Interesting and very informative, (though a tad disappointing) comments from you, coachrick. :)
 
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Virginia said:
I've put a bid on it now, so there's no going back, unless someone else makes a bid. Interesting and very informative, (though a tad disappointing) comments from you, coachrick. :)
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Didn't mean to disappoint, Ginnie.
Interesting that they were 'pre-strung' in some parts of the world. I was in Atlanta(84,000 league players!) at the time of the intro and I believe some of the 'premier' Wilson accounts got a single freebie(or maybe one for each 'large' location), so they were quite visible in the retail stores-- if only the one piece in each. There was certainly a 'buzz' among shop personnel and club staff in the area; but, I don't recall ever seeing one sold or being used(not that I am omniscient in all things tennis ;) ).
 
FWIW, one went for $145 (incl. shipping) on auction last month, though of course it had no unusual serial number. While I wouldn't see it as an investment, I would see it as a desirable collector's piece, especially (as mentioned) if grouped with a red-crown JKA, a black-crown JKA, and a JKA Mid.

The Wilson reps (in the States) only ever showed me a 95 version, but last month, when I taught a clinic to some schoolkids in Jakarta, one of them was using a JK Millenium Edition with a 110 sq" head. I'd never even heard of such a thing.

I never hit with the Hypercarbon Pro Staff 6.5, supposedly what is under the paint, but I did like its specs. Disappointing to hear that it wasn't a sweet hit.
 
Virginia said:
... The seller has confirmed that it's numbered 0/2000 Europe, so that's added value presumably.
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0/2000 is nonsensical to me. Wouldn't/shouldn't 1/2000 be the first racket produced? If you start at "0" then a 2000 production run ends at 1999/2000. I tend to agree with coach and conclude that the "0" designation means that the racket you are considering is a "demo" or a "sample" and there is no telling how many of those Wilson produced.
 
I think you're right, auto, but it does have a certain appeal, even so. I'd rather that than 1932/2000. Since the racquet was purchased at Lillywhites in London (I remember that store as I was raised in London), it certainly wouldn't have been a "run of the mill
frame. Lillywhites was/is a prestigious store, almost akin to Harrods.
 
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Virginia said:
Dave, do you mean there might have been others sold at lillywhites with a zero number?
:)
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I meant that at the time, Lillywhites was the most prestigeous sports store in the UK, if it is number 0 (though as you say that'd make a 2001 production run for our country, I do remember our local store saying no demos were avaliable as it was a paintjob of something else)it would make sense because they'd be most likely to get some of the first frames off of wilson UK.They used to sell all sorts of wilson frames that were not easy to get elsewhere and were the place to go when wilson brought out new tech to get bargains on the previous stuff.I still regret not buying hammer 5.5 spin frames for £30 each when they had them on sale in the late 90s! (Though they don't sound like they lasted too well-i've never found another for sale)
 
I'm not a collector, but I have a fondness for old racquets and know enough about Kramer's history, and the great Kramer racquet. I STILL think I'd only buy it if I planned to use it, and would pay about $75-80 for it. I'd consider it a used frame.

If it's collectible, so are beanie babies and Franklin Mint plates.
 
Lucky you purchased locally - saving postage. Being a kiwi myself thought i would treat myself to one of these as used original as a boy. Saw your one at lillywhites in window display on stairs - was their only 0000.

I got my aussie 000/300 from a man in texas!

pauliechef
 
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paulielondon said:
Lucky you purchased locally - saving postage. Being a kiwi myself thought i would treat myself to one of these as used original as a boy. Saw your one at lillywhites in window display on stairs - was their only 0000.

I got my aussie 000/300 from a man in texas!

pauliechef
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Why not really treat yourself to an original Wilson JK woody ?
The JK ME 2000 is a paint job modern hyper carbon air shell which is nothing like a wood racket. Also, the wood rackets are a deal compared the ME racket that Wilson made to commemorate Jack Kramers career.
 
"sweetspot the size of a pea" as my hero Moose Malloy said - he started with old JKA and won junior Wimbo Final with it me thinks- but needed bigger guns for his senior Wimbo Final.

It means i find it difficult to----- win the match with the old version=. After all these years i still walk on the court to win.

And the fact that i play mostly singles against people nearly 20 years younger than myself. Maybe if i play mixed will break out the old woodie.

But will take your advice on board and get the Jack St Vincent next.

I think the most relevant part of my post was "000/300" any others out there?
 
paulielondon said:
"sweetspot the size of a pea" as my hero Moose Malloy said - he started with old JKA and won junior Wimbo Final with it me thinks- but needed bigger guns for his senior Wimbo Final.

It means i find it difficult to----- win the match with the old version=. After all these years i still walk on the court to win.

And the fact that i play mostly singles against people nearly 20 years younger than myself. Maybe if i play mixed will break out the old woodie.

But will take your advice on board and get the Jack St Vincent next.

I think the most relevant part of my post was "000/300" any others out there?
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IMO, I dont think reg #s really matters unless you have some kind of good story or COA showing that #0 or first series of rackets were given to Jack and you got it from him with a personal signature/picture, etc. I do have some collector friends that have personally signed JKMEs from Jack and believe he gave away all the rackets that Wilson originally gave him.
 
Have you guys seen this

Got no certificate, cover or box and I like that because I recycle and don't like all that extra pollution.
But how many of THESE are out there? No stuff about "official numbers" please - we all know that -and is no fake - proper construction.
Look back on my picture - I don't even know photoshop - I take photos.

This is 000/300 of the best paint-job on the planet!!! Maybe I should start a club for 000 and 0000 owners?

Regards,
Paulie.
 
At 10.6 oz strung weight, it's hardly a player's racket. More of a made in China display novelty for (very) casual players. There are about five for sale on the auction site right now.
 
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Yes brother

That's why we call this thread classic racket talk. I know it's a tweener, and we all done J.K.A's.
Competitive is all in the MIND. It makes winning more enjoyable if you can pull out the lesser weapon and still win. Makes a dull day more exciting.
Am a rexking collector myself - but consider you a Roundhead from what I have seen of you on T.T - and how can I get any of those in U.K as Jimbo probably has all of them too?
But not wanting to change Virginias post.
 
And

I would never pick it up in anger - this is a dream experience we are living.
Being out there and enjoying the classics.
 
paulielondon said:
Am a rexking collector myself - but consider you a Roundhead from what I have seen of you on T.T - and how can I get any of those in U.K as Jimbo probably has all of them too?
But not wanting to change Virginias post.
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What rexking models do you have? I collect those too. :)
 
There is one of these in my buddy's pro shop in his club. He got his because he has been exclusively a Wilson dealer since the club opened in the 80s... It's beautiful, but it needs to be hit!
 
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