Manufacture Date

[wcmizejr]

First, I would like to thank you for accepting me into this group.
I am trying to identify the date of manufacture of the Garcia Mitchell 300 reel with the serial number of D276210. At this point I am convinced my reel is Generation 7 or 8.
At the time of purchase I was living in Alaska and the Mitchell 300 was one of the best top of the line reels available for spin casting fishing. I am extremely satisfied with my purchase and would recommend Mitchell reels to anyone seeking a top of then line reel.
I have made several attempts to locate this information on the Mitchell museum web site and have not gotten anywhere with them.
Hopefully someone there can assist me in obtaining the information.
WC Mize, Jr.
fxfour@msn.com

[Mike N]

Mitchell 300 1st version 1/2 bail....1939-1940
Mitchell 300 2d version 1/2 bail.....1940-1946
Mitchell 300 3d version 1/2 bail.....1946-1953
Mitchell 300 Full bail....................1951-1989

If there is an A, C , DL, S, or PRO after the 300, see link below.

This is the Mitchell reel site links for dates, but it’s not very specific.

http://www.mitchellreelmuseum.com/index ... -1989.html

Some ORCA member may have a more exact dating code by model and serial number, but if one exists I would think it would appear on the above website.

Mike N

[Rook]

1974/1975.

https://mitchellreels.ourboard.org/gall ... es-v7.html

[jr.evansii]

WC Mize, Jr.,

Starting in 1971, Mitchell started using an identification number that started with a letter. A=1971, B=1972,...D=1974.

I said identification number because somewhere along the line they stopped using a serial or unique number on each reel. What they ended up with was more of a manufacture/date code. In other words, all of the reels manufactured that day at that facility/line had the same number.

There is a lack of clarity about the exact format of the code, but the general consensus is that the first 3 numbers after the letter are a Julian calendar number for the day of manufacture. For your reel, D276210, D=1974 and 276 should be October 3rd.

Here is a link to the Mitchell Reel Museum article on dating. This article only applies to the "Classic Egg Shaped Reels" i.e. the 300 and associated models like the 301, 330, 331, 350, 351 etc. The other models like the 302, 304, 306, 308 and associated models are an entirely different story. It is very complex.
http://www.mitchellreelmuseum.com/forum ... 21f396fffa

Hope this helps,
J. Evans

[Midway Tommy D]

Starting in 1971, Mitchell started using an identification number that started with a letter. A=1971, B=1972,...D=1974.

I said identification number because somewhere along the line they stopped using a serial or unique number on each reel. What they ended up with was more of a manufacture/date code. In other words, all of the reels manufactured that day at that facility/line had the same number.

There is a lack of clarity about the exact format of the code, but the general consensus is that the first 3 numbers after the letter are a Julian calendar number for the day of manufacture. For your reel, D276210, D=1974 and 276 should be October 3rd.

Hope this helps,
J. Evans

Where is evidence of that theory documented?

[jr.evansii]

Here are a couple of links.

http://www.mitchellreelmuseum.com/forum ... 7c7#p26189

http://www.mitchellreelmuseum.com/forum ... 376#p23260

http://www.mitchellreelmuseum.com/forum ... b376#p4427

J.

[Midway Tommy D]

Not to be overly skeptical, but, that theory sounds somewhat dubious since it lacks any manufacturer documentation or substantiation. It seems fairly obvious to me that if the so called "Julian Calendar" system was used there would be no logical reason to designate the last two digits as the month.

[spadej1]

There is a lot of discussion about the dates of Mitchell reels of all sorts and no shortage of theories on the numbers stamped on them. While there have been a few reels discussed that have the same number during those later years, many more seem to break the aforementioned manufacture code system. I can’t say which is right, if any, and there are no records to confirm any of it. I will say that if you go by the Mitchell Reel museum, they do not support the use of that system though there is discussion on the forum. I think its good to question these things and healthy discussion can greatly help so lets keep those reels coming!

[jr.evansii]

Midway Tommy D,

I would love to have someone produce Mitchell documentation and show me wrong. I am also frustrated by the lack of certainty!

The letter for year of production seems to be accepted as absolute, certainly by both Wallace Carney and Luc de Medts on their websites.
http://www.mitchellreelmuseum.com/forum ... 7c7#p26189
https://mitchell-collectors-internation ... chell.html
They differ in whether it was a calendar year (Jan. 1 to Dec. 31) or a fiscal/production year (Sept.1 to either July 31 [with the facility closed during Aug.] or Aug. 31) Both agree that the letter "A" began in 1971 and the letter changed yearly after that.

In 1984 both "O" and "P" seem to have been used. There are very few documented "O" reels. It is possible that after starting, Mitchell felt that the "O" could be confused with "0" (zero) and changed to the "P"

From 1984 to 1988, the identifier format changed again. The letter was followed by 1 or more numbers, sometimes grouped and separated by spaces, commas, periods, or dashes. I have seen examples of 8 different formats used in the same year.
http://www.mitchellreelmuseum.com/forum ... 12c8f84610

As I stated previously, there is a lack of clarity about the format from 1974 to 1983. Not everyone agrees on the use of a Julian calendar system. I agree with your skepticism, and have argued the same point. It would be both redundant to use a Julian number which specifies a day and then use another 2 numbers to identify the month and wasteful of an opportunity to use those same 2 numbers to identify something else of importance. I think it is more likely that the other numbers would have identified the facility/plant and production line in that plant.

What does seem to be clear, is that a number of people have documented multiple reels of the same model in the 1974 to 1988 era that have identical markings. That is why I stated that they stopped using a serial or unique number on each reel.

Again, it would be great if Mitchell's records could magically appear.

J.

[Midway Tommy D]

I've never doubted the letter for year of production theory. I think research has pretty much proven that to be true. Their other suppositions seem a little far fetched to me, though.

[EggShapedReels]

wcmizejr,
Your reel's frame was made in 1974. I say "frame" because without looking at the reel, we really don't know if all the parts that are now on it are original. PM me if you need more info.
Kind Regards,
Bill