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Sumgai or Sumgal Finds

Last updated: 07/03/12

 

Here is my honor roll of some incredible purchases that I have come to learn.  These Parker 75s were found "in the wild", i.e. outside normal pen venues like shows and stores.  Personally, I find it quite encouraging to see it is still possible to get 75s at good prices, don't you?

The term 'sumgai' is pronounced as in the sentence "Sorry, some guy just cleaned me out of a boxful of pens which I sold for $5."

My guideline for consideration in this list is that a 75 is acquired for a small fraction of the true market value, at most 20% for the typical 75s, a bit higher for the rarer versions.  As an example for the everyday sterling grid, this would be at $15-25.  The more scarce and desirable the 75, the better the find.

Oh, just to keep things fair, I automatically disqualify myself from consideration.  I have some friends who have a different opinion of this policy, but I think it would be unfair for me to be judge, jury, and executioner.  :-) 

Do let me know if you have found incredible deals on 75s by using this link to send me email.   Hopefully these examples will show that it is possible to find great deals on 75s even today.

 

When Who Where What model Cond. Price US $
1993 MS Pawnshop 14K solid gold Presidential Very good $300
1993 LaW Rural estate auction Dished sterling grid FP+BP+MP set New $20
Aug'98 DH Estate sale French sterling grid with box Mint $2
Jun'99 DY Flea market outside Pittsburgh, PA Flighter FP+FT+BP set with box New $2
Apr'00 EF Hong Kong seller Rainbow FP+BP set Mint $2500
Aug'00 WM eBay Sterling grid 75 FP with metal threaded section Mint $88
Oct'00 LS Antique fair in FL Rainbow FP Very good $75
Nov'00 LC eBay Keepsake FP Exc $100
Dec'01 MD Garage sale Sterling grid MP flat-top Exc $3 (with 2 Parker Vector RBs!)
Mar'02 MT Antique shop in FL Sterling grid FP with metal threaded section Exc $35
July'02 GW Estate sale in Davenport, IA Sterling grid set of FP+BP+MP with complete package and original price tags New $75
Apr'03 DL Estate sale in St. Louis, MO Keepsake FP Exc $1!
July'03 DL Antique show around Chicago 14K Presidential BP Exc with little scratch near tassie $175
Mar'04 GB eBay 14K solid gold
Imperial FP		 Exc with light surface scratches EUR 400
~ US $485
May'04 GB eBay 18K solid gold lined BP Exc with light surface scratches EUR  124.53
~ US $150.53
Oct'04 BD Pawn shop in
Buenos Aires, Argentina		 Flat-top vermeil FP+BP set Exc $33
Jul'06 GG eBay Set of Spanish Treasure Fleet FP without box or papers, and sterling grid Classic BP Exc EUR 143
~ US $183
? '06 GBX Flea market in Toowomba QLD, Australia Set of 14K gold-filled Insignia FP and BP with mismatched box and papers Exc AUS $35
~ US $36
June'07 RD via DF Antique mall in Philadelphia Spanish Treasure Fleet FP without box or papers Exc but tarnished $90
Aug'07 ML Garage sale in Stettler AB, CANADA Sterling silver FP dished tassies Exc C$1
~ US $1
Oct'07 JW Antique store Detroit, MI Bicentennial 75 RB almost complete with box; missing brass plate Exc $40
Aug'08 GY Garage sale in Champaign, IL Flighter 75 BP Exc $0.25
Oct'08 EV Garage sale in
Brandon, FL		 Sterling grid flat tassie FP and dimpled tassie BP in original cellophane wrapper and box New $5
 

 

 
 

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