How old is my Penn Reel ??

[MAXED OUT]

 This question is often asked by someone wanting to know how collectable or valuable thier Penn reel might be. Several variables are involved. Older reels may have slight differences thru the years, while others have noticeable differences.

 I could go on forever about this, but some of the best info can be found in Mike C. Penn history book. If you have a question about dating your old Penn Reel, post it up here and we will help you out. P.S. I know nothing about international reels

 Dating this squidder to a 3 year period is possible if you know what to look for.

[Ricky Raffle]

Can you tell by looking how old this one is . I have the Book but do not see this one in it anywhere .

[MAXED OUT]

Hello Rick, the history book leaves out a lot of the tidbits to help people find the era for their reel. So many variables that would take another book just to skirt the surface.

 Your squidder has the word "gear" at midway point of the shift lever sweep. This would date your reel to approximately pre 1960. Penn switched black sideplates to dark maroon and the word "gear" disappeared, never to return. Now, let's whittle it down from there. Your reel has no visible parts numbers and that means pre-1950. Your reel also has a smooth sided counterbalance on the handle. This would date it to 1942, or 1946. I can't see the spool, which would determine if it's pre war or not. Look for a lip where the arbor meets the side flanges. If there is a lip, it's pre war. If there is a smooth transition from the arbor to the flange, then it's 1946

 Hope this helps. Feel free to ask a follow-up question if you can't make sense of my jibber jabber

 -Ted

[Ricky Raffle]

If you blow that picture up it LOOKS like there is a Lip on the Spool and te Spool looks like Aluminum BUT did they make aluminum spools back then?

[Wompus Cat]

That Reel was on E-bay on a Buy it Now and some one just bought it for 35 bux.
Jiggy 240 No Numbers

Deal or NO DEAL ?

[MAXED OUT]

 Well, I'd say it wasn't a bad deal on that 140 squidder. Early Squidders are like hens teeth because they were very expensive($25), about the same price as a 9/0 at that time. The squidder is a ball bearing reel, and up thru mid 50's Penn only had 3 models with ball bearings...the squidder 140, the 14/0 & 16/0

[Ricky Raffle]

I ended up with this Reel and here are some HOPEFULLY AGE IDENTIFYING pix for Mr Max to elaborate on 
The Spool is Plastic NOT ALUMINUM and has looks like a Blender option on the clicker side .

              The clicker side of Spool


The Edge of Spool  looks like a small raised edge on it



And the Knob  (Odd Color ,almost See thru or opaque

[MAXED OUT]

 Looking at the spool, it's 1946 squidder. A person could buy a decent used car for $25 in 1946, or buy a 140 squidder for $25

[MAXED OUT]

 Using Penn catalogs to date a reel is very helpful, but don't go by the illustrations in the catalogs. Penn used same illustrations for many years of catalogs, despite some cosmetic changes that should've been illustrated, especially the changes in handle arms and knobs and counterbalance.

 So, back to my point. Starting in 1950 Penn reels now had visible stamped part numbers on most every part. So if your reel has part numbers, you know it's 1950 or newer. The slotted rod clamp phased out in 1954 is another telltale sign. Another is type of spool, and also type of knob and blade, and yet another is for senators with bushings and when those switched to ball bearings.

 So, here we see a numbered 9/0 with slotted clamp, bushings, counterbalance handle, and 3 piece spool. Easy to say this one is 1950-53

[Ricky Raffle]

Ok so My Squidder with the Off -On- Gear  notations, and No Numbers, Plastic Edged Spool with the Blender Blades inside on Clicker Side and a Notched Lever tab is 1946 ?

[MAXED OUT]

Ok so My Squibber with the Off -On- Gear  notations, and No Numbers, Plastic Edged Spool with the Blender Blades inside on Clicker Side and a Notched Lever tab is 1946 eh?

 Yes grasshoppa, 1946

[Ricky Raffle]

Look for a lip where the arbor meets the side flanges. If there is a lip, it's pre war.

But it does have a Lip .
So don't that make it a Pre -War ?

[Ricky Raffle]

OK I GOT IT ....lol
You mean a lip on the inside of spool where the Line goes .
One with the lump is older than the one without it . Thanks for explaining this .

[MAXED OUT]

 These first posts were just an example of dating early 50's Penn reels. Dating pre-1950 Penns isn't too tough if you know what to look for. Pre war Penns can usually also be dated to within a 2-3 year window, and in many cases to 1 particular year.

 Dating mid 50's to 80's Penns is not rocket science, but it helps to have a few thousand boxed reels pass thru your hands to notice the subtle changes thru the years.

 Also, if you have a Penn box with or without a reel, that needs dating, we can possibly help with that also.

 -Ted-

 PS....when I say "we" can help, I'm hinting that I am not a total know it all, and new discoveries do happen, so nobody knows every tidbit about every model Penn made. I also have half dozen of the most knowledgeable Penn collectors on speed dial, including the Author of Penn History book Mike C

 Knowing what you got can be enlightening and could also fill your wallet depending on historical significance or rarity.

 Imagine a guy in a tackle shop that also sells used reels from "trade ins" and gifted a 'trade in" reel to a young boy and his dad that were gonna go fishing and looking to buy a reel. The reel was a 1932 Penn Model k, worth $1500-$2000. Shop owner found out months later and hoped someday the dad & son might return to his store so he could enlighten them, but that never happened. True story, cause it was me that told the shop owner about the value of the model k he so kindly gifted to a customer

[MAXED OUT]

OK I GOT IT ....lol
You mean a lip on the inside of spool where the Line goes .
One with the lump is older than the one without it . Thanks for explaining this .

 Yes, that is the lip that is pre war era. After the war that lip was changed to a rounded transition from arbor to spool flange