The Penn 410,420, & 430 were never marketed by Penn. The story that I've heard and been told is one of the Penn Family was a WWII prisoner of was in Japan and when he found out that the parts were built there he forbid the sale of the reels as long as he lived. When he passed they were sold to a buyer in Florida with a contract/ understanding that the Penn emblem on the side of the reel had to be removed before the reels could be sold. That buyer died suddenly and when they were resold the stipulation on the emblem didn't follow through to the new buyer and that is why you can find them with the emblem still attached. In the Penn headquarters there is a Black one in their show case but it's turned the wrong direction and we have not been able to see the side with the emblem and a number assigned to the reel. A mystery that we are still working on. The original year that they were all built is out there but memory at the moment fails me. Hope the above info helps.
Hello Dick, I never heard this story about the emblem removal. It is interesting and would love to have some specifics. I find it very weird that these reels are so mysterious.
I have spoken to the Penn Reel Specialist at the Penn Factory about that black reel.
He will not open the case. Says he cannot. I would bet the black reel is a 410, simply painted black. What I find more interesting than the fact this reel is painted black, is the push button and the handle knob are made from white plastic. All the models I have seen have a black plastic push button and knob. I suspect this black version is an earlier sample or prototype reel.
I feel these reels are from the early 1960's; but, I have seen them presented as early 1970's also. So I am not sure.
I have spoken to the former CEO of Penn about these reels. His connection with Penn is multi-generational. He told me when he was young, he was given a 420 by his father to fish with; but, he was not familiar with any history of the models.
To me, the box is a 1960's style. Although those Blue and White flip top boxes did transition into the early 1970's also.
Mike,
ZIP code on box paper says post 1963.
Cool story by Dick!
Alan
The zip code on the box is 19132, which is the zip code of where the factory is. It is the same code today. Not exactly sure what you mean by "post 1963". I hope you are correct. I want these reels to be from the early 1960's. I believe they fit in that era more logically than the 1970's.
....like how did the "collector" get access to the warehoused goodies and who the heck was he/she? 
