Dann, I think that is the perfect definition of rare items. You articulated exactly what I was thinking a lot better than I could have.

Thanks. And even in other collecting areas like stamps or coins; if 100 or so were released into general circulation, such as a mistake or otherwise, those will be highly sought after. Whereas a collector's piece purposely made in a quantity of 100 as a display piece probably would only be 'worth' something to those who try and sell them. The collectors probably wouldn't care as much.

I think you just made your Snow Jungle Fours cry Dann. They thought they were special *tear*.

We see completely eye to eye on the custom situation though.

What do you guys think of the whole "Low serial number" thing you see on ebay? A lot of people try to inflate their profits by stating that an item has a low serial number. Sometimes they are low and sometimes they're in the 10,000 area. I'm curious to find out what you guys think. Apples for apples does a lower serial number constitute a more valuable purchase?

Perhaps yes, but it would have to be triple digits minimally. But I don't see it as a huge selling point. At least I wouldn't care as much, other than casual bragging rights.

The Jungle Four S's are special, just not rare in my eyes. Not knocking all the customs and one-offs. If they look good and you like them, more power to them. I do prefer handmade customs though.

My opinion is that all factory customs are rare (as long as there's somewhat of a demand from collectors, of course). Yes, this does mean there's an assload of rare items floating out there due to the authentic factory customs that have been showing up over the last year and a half, the total of which probably outnumber the amount of commercially available product ever put out. Nevertheless, it's still rare with most of then being a handful produced to a few dozen produced.

In that case, perhaps it's rare to have a certain piece, but not rare to have something rare.

I agree with all that Dann (the Man) said as well, with one addition. Items from when the company or product was young & therefore didn't get the visibility or following like they do now. They may have been available to everyone at the time but just didn't sell because of this reason. Some good examples of this would be the Oakley suspenders or Shoe One or to some extent, the Factory Pilot Eyeshades. Sure, they're somewhat readily available but not in mint or new condition. Who, back in the Eighties, would've ever thought that sport sunglasses would become collectables?

Good call. The stock of mint or good condition pairs are probably down to the level of some exclusives.

In that case, perhaps it's rare to have a certain piece, but not rare to have something rare.

Yeah, it's like that saying where no one's special if you say everyone's special. That's why I've got the theory that when Oakley collecting matures, people will go for the cool stuff more than simply just the rarest stuff. I can see people, 10 years from now, paying a lot more for something like 0.3P or a Blade II OTT than something like a Total_O custom, despite them being 20 times more common.

how about these??

What it boils down to is the method of their origin. Something like let's say the EPSN Thump or Black Snake Moan Thump Pro were created for a reason, and had some distribution, despite being very limited and exclusive. Throwing an Emerald lens in a Monster dog with a non standard icon, just doesn't seem on the same level despite there being less of them. And anyone with a hundred+ bucks can just bid on them. If they loose it, there will be another, or some other colorway. Plus as OCE expands, we may end up seeing these available for the masses anyway. If total-o is a product testbed like some thing.

you mean,....... mann... now the 150 i spent on a ruby oild rum seems a lot.....
man... now am def. going to break some legs to get that flores...

now like bono said: " give me what i want , and nobody gets hurt"

hahahahhah.....

i think things that are rare or unique for that matter... you could have a long talk over it.. and true old or vintage could be rare and pricey in A+ plus condition or mint.

than if you can get on something that 10 were made as a proto type of this year, can also be consider rare.
Like my ruby drums.. i will be the first to have them here in aruba, meaning unique or rare.. herem but doesn't be rare in the states...

Or we can all make a list and let it be rate as rare or the rarest..

sorry dann.. more work for you..

don't get mad on me please...

Heh, making a rare list will be like giving the scalpers a cheat sheet to rip everyone off more. I think I've done enough damage on ebay. Even saw a 'Oakley Mousepad - RUBY" listed. Which of course had nothing to do with Ruby.

Hell, even T_O uses the "Ruby" & "X-Men" tactic for things that have nothing to do with either

true..i know that feeling, Let just see what every one has and just see it to them man that is something i have not seen.

Dann said:

Plus as OCE expands, we may end up seeing these available for the masses anyway.

Ala Ruby Juliets. First they were relatively hard to come across now I can order a pair for the same price as any other Juliet OCE. I'd be pretty ticked if I bought a pair for $400+ if I could get one for $325 now. Albeit the earlier rubies are unique in that they are much more purply than the OCE ones.

Rare is a Dark Fatigue D-Ring Lanyard.

A little sour are we, Mike? ::LOL::


~Yukio

Well what I hope to see happen is that through the OCE program, we'll eventually be able to get any lens color available in any frame. The end result being that along with vintage pairs, frame/icon colors and not lenses will determine how rare a pair is.

I'll be more interested when they re-release the 0.3's with ruby or ice lenses.

What's that saying, "Snowball's chance in hell?"

I wouldn't be surprised to see that happen one day. I have no doubt the OR and its opinions have nudged Oakley a little bit these past couple years, and I have no doubt the strength will increase as more and more members join. So save up the pennies for those Ruby, Emerald, Fire, and Ice 0.3 re-releases. ;-)

those discontinued? how's that?

welll, if that happen , i think there will be a frenzy.. like ps3 ??

i hope they do bring stuff like that back..

I dont, its the pet cemetary principle....Sure you can bury your dead cat in an Indian burial ground and resurect it. But even though it looks like poor little Mittens, it just wont be the same...no matter how bad you want it to...

I think this is my most fav rare, just cause I like the movies so well:


and my #2nd fav:


and #3rd:

87/100