The question I’m most frequently asked through this site is “What are my Blackwings worth?” My usual response is “I have no idea”, though I sometimes qualify that with what the current ‘going rate’ seems to be. But like any collectible item, a genuine Blackwing pencil is worth only as much as someone is willing to pay for it.
I follow eBay auctions from time to time, taking note of interesting examples as well as extremes in auction prices. But blog reader Natale has been collecting Blackwing auction data for the last two years, and has generously permitted me to post the results.†
Two-year prices in eBay/Etsy auctions for each Blackwing subtype, with the total number sold for each sample:
- BW1 – BW12 are the Blackwing subtypes as they appear in blackwingpages.com
- BW7ii is a variant of BW7 with a scalloped ferrule.
- Etsy represents a residual source, representing something like 2-3 % of the total. A couple of Blackwings come from brandnamepencils.com.
- The total number sold in 2012-2013 was 415 pc. and in 2013-2014 was 457 (the total is higher than the sum for each time span, because a number of pencils sold were not categorized owing to the low resolution or the low quality of pictures in some auctions).
- The largest number of Blackwings sold in a single auction is twenty one in Mar. 2013.‡
- The highest price realized is $975 for eighteen BW7 in Aug. 2014; the second price realized is $819 for eleven BW4 in Sep. 2014, and the third price is $570 for nineteen BW6 in Jan. 2013.
- The single highest price is $106 for a (sharpened) BW3 in Jul. 2014. The second highest price is $100 for an unsharpened BW1 sold from brandnamepencils.com in May 2014.
- The lowest price per pencil is as low as $6.33, paid for twelve BW8 in Feb. 2014 ($76).
- With the exception of BW7ii and BW8 (which seem to be outliers), the frequency analysis show a real Gaussian distribution among the subtypes sold each year, the peak being BW9 in 2012-13 and BW7 the following year (this is not surprising, being that they are the most recent types).
- Price analysis does not show any pattern except for a scattered increase in some cases.
- Prices are rounded e.g. from 21.51 to 22.50 = 22 . Prices are in US $.
† The author of this data is based in Europe, and as anyone who has searched international eBay sites knows, search results can often be omitted for any number of reasons. To that end there may be intermittent auctions that were not included, but this survey is by far the most detailed of its kind.
‡ There was an auction in July of 2013 for a half-gross (72) of Blackwing pencils listed at $2,500 with the “Make Offer” option available. The auction concluded successfully but the final amount is not known.
Special thanks to Natale for sharing this interesting research.
That’s some great information. Thanks!
My first thought was: which one is the most affordable one – to refill stock at home. In the last year it seems to have been BW4, but I think there’s a digit missing after the 6.
Is the Faber-Castell one the BW12?
After the Big Mac index now the Blackwing index 8^)
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A simple and quick note, in the process of sending data (copy and paste and so on…) I suppose to have misplaced a number and thus the BW4 average price in 2013-14 is 61 $ instead of 6 $.
I am sorry for the mistake.
Natale
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Memm and Natale, I’ve updated the table.
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This is indeed an interesting phenomenon, and one that I’m not comfortable with because I think the bubble surrounding the Blackwing is largely due to the media attention. Yes, it’s a great pencil, but is it the Greatest Pencil Ever? I just think there are pencils more deserving of that title, and the price. If the hype were to go away I think we would be able to appreciate it better.
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I would say that the prices for these pencils have been nothing short of absurd. But this expression, “the greatest pencil ever made”, is an odd inaccuracy that surrounds the “legend” of this pencil. I’ve mentioned in other places that I have never once read or heard anyone directly say that the Blackwing is “the greatest pencil ever made” etc., I’ve only ever read people write or say something along the lines of “…some have called it the ‘greatest pencil ever made.'” Those critical of this pencil, or just critical of people who have a preference for certain pencils in general (and then feel impelled to share those feelings with the world), often center their argument(s) on that phrase. In the years I’ve been researching the Blackwing, I can’t recall anyone—even the most ardent admirers—ever calling it “the greatest” (I imagine because it’s just a silly and ridiculous thing to say). I hear and read the word “favorite” a lot, but not “the greatest.”
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Yes, that makes a lot more sense, thank you for the clarification :). BTW when I said that I wasn’t consciously quoting any source (I wasn’t aware of any) but just as a way to point out the incongruity between the price and the actual pencil. The term “favorite” seems more apt also because I think the Blackwing is a specific _type_ of pencil, not a well-made all-arounder of flagship status.
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I have been buying pencils online for quite a while now and I agree the prices for Blackwings and similar pencils are absurd to say the least. I used to be able to pick up a dozen Blackwings for about $200.00 not too long ago, and I knew then that the price I was paying was a little ridiculous. As much as I have enjoyed the influx of stationary blogs and websites it’s been a catch-22 because I blame them for the ridiculous prices currently being asked for stationary products. Someone who has a dozen pencils from their grandfather’s desk drawer need only do a quick google search to find out that the last time those pencils were auctioned they sold for “X” amount of dollars. Or someone with a stationary blog/website says that model is similar to a Blackwing or a Mongol 480. So they ask for a little more, and so it goes on and on. Now pencils, sharpeners, etc… that really shouldn’t command that much money are being sold at absurdly high prices because people figure they must be worth a lot of money. Like a dozen Van Dyke pencils with replaceable erasers and a 5H lead. Well it LOOKS like a Blackwing so I’m gonna ask $300.00 for them…yeah but no one will be able to see anything it writes with lead that hard. To be fair, the Blackwing 602 in it’s original form is not a rare pencil. They’re available on line more often than not it seems.
The Blaisdell Calculator is a perfect example. I was a fan of this pencil for a long time and you were able to get them rather inexpensively whenever they were available. Now you see them for sale and the description says…”similar to the Blackwing 602″ or something like that. Now people want $40-$50.00 for one. Now, people who may actually have used that pencil as a tool, such as was intended will never get the opportunity. Rant over…
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