Penn 209M Clone

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flysupplies
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Penn 209M Clone

Post by flysupplies »

Picked up a Penn reel in an older blue/white 209M box quite awhile ago.
Recently looked in the box to find a typical 209M levelwind with black sideplates, spare pawl and typical numbered Penn parts except for the logo on the left plate which reads
J.C. Higgins
304-42250
MADE IN
U.S.A.

So my question is did this 209M clone originally come in the Penn box which has no Higgins mark on it?

Thanks,

Bob
wrong99
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Re: Penn 209M Clone

Post by wrong99 »

It would have come in a box marked for J.C. Higgins or Sears, Roebuck. Or both.
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m3040c
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Re: Penn 209M Clone

Post by m3040c »

So my question is did this 209M clone originally come in the Penn box which has no Higgins mark on it?
Good question. In a world where things are what you expect them to be, Penn / J.C. Higgans trade reels had a J.C. Higgans box. So, in terms of what you found, that tells me that someone put a Higgans Trade Reel in a standard Penn box. As far as I know, Sears had their own boxes for their trade reels and did not put their trade reels in Penn boxes.

Could it happen. I guess it could. Stranger things than that have happened. More than likely, you have a mismatched reel and box. Here is what you should have:

mike cass,,, if you can't collect it, it must be food
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Cuttyhunker
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Re: Penn 209M Clone

Post by Cuttyhunker »

I picked up an old JC in a "pail o reels" deal, a nice quite small conventional with a raised foot, which I suspect was for mounting to bait casting rods. It sports an all Penn torpedo handle and an all Penn marking 30 180 on the foot. Sears was compulsive about having their own system of part numbers and packaging for just about everything but it seems Penn didn't pull back on stamping their own numbers on the trade goods.
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m3040c
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Re: Penn 209M Clone

Post by m3040c »

I picked up an old JC in a "pail o reels" deal, a nice quite small conventional with a raised foot, which I suspect was for mounting to bait casting rods. It sports an all Penn torpedo handle and an all Penn marking 30 180 on the foot. Sears was compulsive about having their own system of part numbers and packaging for just about everything but it seems Penn didn't pull back on stamping their own numbers on the trade goods.
It is difficult to say how Trade reels are marked. I feel they vary . You may find Penn part numbers on them or not. Especially when talking about Sears. They did have a complete conversion numbering system for their Penn Trade reels but who is to say that is was followed 100% of the time.
mike cass,,, if you can't collect it, it must be food
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Cuttyhunker
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Re: Penn 209M Clone

Post by Cuttyhunker »

Mike,
Do you think the only trade reel that carried the Penn name on the reel to market was the LL Bean 249, with the regular model 249 4 boat Penn tailplate? I've seen no others but, I am the greenest of rookies here.
Thanks,
Bob
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m3040c
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Re: Penn 209M Clone

Post by m3040c »

Mike,
Do you think the only trade reel that carried the Penn name on the reel to market was the LL Bean 249, with the regular model 249 4 boat Penn tailplate? I've seen no others but, I am the greenest of rookies here.
Thanks,
Bob
No. There are others. Some Trade Reels were simply a Penn reel with a sticker of the seller on the reel. Duvall's tackle shop in California used to insist their Penn Trade reels all had red handle knobs. There another company named Black Diamond reels that put a diamond shaped sticker on the tail plate without changing anything else on the reel. When Senators were sold as Trade Reels the Penn logo would stay on the tail plate while the Trade name would be put on the head plate. There are probably other variations that I cannot remember or have never seen. Trade reel variations are endless and there are no rules. Many different kinds exist.
mike cass,,, if you can't collect it, it must be food
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