Some time ago somebody asked if the Forester FB was the most expensive MSRP of a Spyderco ever.
I replied to the thread with the MSRP of the Spyderco C76 Anniv. Delica was supposed to be the highest MSRP on any Spyderco, at 529,95.
I got some people telling me they thought it might have been around 350.
I have an issue of the Spyderedge (Dealer information?) from 3rd. Quarter 2002 which has the C76 on page 3. It says MSRP was 529.95 US.
So, if anyone have any other information, i would be very glad if you would share! Or if somebody from Spyderco would confirm if this was indeed the MSRP or not?
That's odd. According to the 2003 Dealer price sheet (Revised 10-23-02) that came with a 2003 dealer catalog I purchased on eBay, the MSRP was $349.95 and dealer price was 174.95. Have no proof as to which price is correct. However, I will say that I recall getting excited in mid '04 when I found a dealer who appeared to have one in stock. Turned out they had sold it a few days earlier and not yet updated their website, but the price on it was $349.95 and they are not known for discounting knives.
I had a chance to purchase one about six months ago for 400.00. I'm not saying I'm kicking myself by any means, I would love to own this knife. I guess everyone puts priority on they're "holy grail" and this just isn't mine.
The Deacon wrote:That's odd. According to the 2003 Dealer price sheet (Revised 10-23-02) that came with a 2003 dealer catalog I purchased on eBay, the MSRP was $349.95 and dealer price was 174.95. Have no proof as to which price is correct. However, I will say that I recall getting excited in mid '04 when I found a dealer who appeared to have one in stock. Turned out they had sold it a few days earlier and not yet updated their website, but the price on it was $349.95 and they are not known for discounting knives.
Very strange indeed. Well, if the dealer price list is what accompanied the catalog, i assume that this price was revised somewhere along the way.
It's kind of strange, though, as Spyderco has always used a fixed markup price... Somebody got it totally wrong on their calculator?
Here's my guess, and I must emphasize it is nothing more than a guess. The Spyderedge newsletter looks to be professionally printed. To me that indicates it was probably put together and sent out for printing several months, possibly as much as six months, prior to its "issue date". The price sheet I have, on the other hand, appears to be something printed out from a spreadsheet or word processor document, then copied on a copier. That would mean it might have been put together the same day, or very close to the same day, it was printed. Perhaps in the time between the actual writing of the two, it was determined the Delica would not cost as much to produce as estimated, and the MSRP was adjusted accordingly. Know Sal has said in the past that prices are based on costs, not just "whatever the traffic will bear".
Would be curious to know if there are any other prices in that flyer, as, with the exception of the 25th Ann Delica, any knives introduced in it would probably also appear in the 2004 consumer catalog, which includes MSRP for all the knives in it. As an example, the MSRPs shown on the sheet for the Chinook, Impala and Kiwi match those in the '04 consumer catalog.
Well Peter, to the extent that it's a bit of Spyderco trivia where there is some question of which, if either, of the two very different figures is correct, or if perhaps both were correct at different points in time. On a more practical level, I tend to consider it to be of little importance. I don't think the value of a 25th Anniversary Delica, or of any discontinued Spyderco for that matter, is determined by what the MSRP was. Some models routinely sell for far less, because interest is low, while others routinely fetch prices far in excess of any "worth" based on logic.
The Deacon wrote:... On a more practical level, I tend to consider it to be of little importance. I don't think the value of a 25th Anniversary Delica, or of any discontinued Spyderco for that matter, is determined by what the MSRP was...
Absolutely right, Sir! Actual value is law of supply and demand. Paul, my 'problem' as collector is that I think like a bookkeeper and therefore I'm interested to learn and to record the original price :o :D
this knife is definitely for the COLLECTORS, not for the USERS. whether the thing costs 300 or 500, i'd never shell out that kind of cash for a 'mere' Delica
even though i am certainly obsessive about obtaining certain expensive gadgets, i'm happy to say i'm not into Ltd. Editions.....pfew, that'd cost me my house and all that's in it probably :)
