Disc Golf Ultra Rare 1983 Innova Champion Discs EAGLE / AERO No Patent #s PFN

Description: Up for sale is the penultimate collectible piece of disc golf history - a 1983 Innova Champion Discs Eagle/Aero. This ultra rare disc was among the few that were the first produced disc golf discs available to the public from the very first disc golf mold over 40 years ago. This disc has been collector kept and is in outstanding condition given its age. This disc itself is orange with a black stamp. The factory penned weight on the back, which is still plainly visible, is 161. Q: How old is this disc?A: From what I have been able to learn, this disc was made in April 1983, which makes it over 40 years old. This is from the original mold of the very first ever disc made for disc golf. At that time it was called the Eagle, though that name is not stamped nor penned on the disc since it was the only kind of disc golf disc at the time. In fact, the back of this disc has no markings of any kind except for the factory penned weight (161). There are no patent numbers. Later runs have the embossed “Patent Pending” on them and still later runs have the patent number indicated, but this disc was made so early that it has no such markings. The Eagle later became the Aero and then a different Eagle (fairway driver) was created later still, so there sometimes can be some confusion about what to call this disc. Q: Is this a First Run?A: This is a surprisingly difficult question to answer. If you look around, you will find Eagle/Aero discs from runs that came after this one that are advertised as First Runs. I am not trying to criticize those listings as there could be some merit to the claims, depending on how you look at it. To get very technical, the very first “run” of the Eagle/Aero consisted of just two discs, one of which was destroyed and it’s not known what happened to the other. There were some additional very small runs of the disc made, but those were not available to the public. Those discs might be considered test runs or prototypes. Then, in April 1983, a couple runs of the Eagle/Aero were made available to the public, each consisting of a few thousand discs. This disc was among those. Depending on how you look at it, you might consider this a First Run, but I am choosing not to advertise it as such. Suffice it to say, this disc is very old and was among the very first discs produced for disc golf and made available to the public. It is a genuine piece of disc golf history. Q: In what condition is this disc?A: This disc is in astonishingly good condition. I got it a while back from a dealer because I thought it looked like a cool vintage disc - neither I nor the dealer understood at the time what a piece of history this actually was. At the time it was advertised as new/unthrown and I have kept it bagged and boxed ever since I got it. It is apparent this disc has been well cared for for the entire time it has existed. There is still flashing on the outside edge of this disc. There is no dirt ground into it nor any of the characteristic swirly scuff/scratches you see when a disc has been field tested. I feel confident this disc has never been thrown. The stamp is about as pristine as you will ever see for a disc this old. The penned weight is still readily visible. There are some tiny specks in the disc that must have occurred during production. On the Sleepy Scale, I would rate this disc between 9 and 9.5 for the small amount of storage wear that is inevitable for a disc this old. Otherwise, this disc is in remarkably good condition. To see for yourself, please take a close look at the pictures. I had those taken by a professional photographer and I asked the photographer not to do anything to alter the true images of the disc. This disc is orange and the stamp is black. I do believe the pictures provide an accurate representation of this disc. Q: So, how much is this worth?A: That’s a tricky question to answer. I have been collecting for years and this is the absolute gem of my collection, and I suspect it would be as such for pretty much any collection. There can’t be more than a few of these in existence anymore in this condition. I am only aware of one other in existence that sold for $150k on eBay on July 3, 2023. You can see for yourself if you check the purchase history on eBay. Since that sale is the only data point I am aware of for a disc this valuable, that sets the market. I am willing to sell for slightly less. It is my sincere hope that this disc will find a new home where it is cared for and appreciated for the unique piece of memorabilia that it is. I personally view disc golf collecting as an investment opportunity since the sport is absolutely exploding. There is no way to predict exactly how much more valuable this disc might one day become, especially since the chances to get something like this are so few and far between.Update 12/21/23: The purchase history on eBay previously indicated that another one of these sold for $150k, but then, at a later date, that entry indicated that, actually, a best offer on the disc was accepted. I contacted the seller of that disc and they indicated the disc ultimately sold for $80k. As such, I am adjusting the asking price for this disc to reflect this new information. Q: How will this be shipped?A: This disc is currently triple bagged, bubble wrapped, and boxed. When it sells, I will take one last look and then close the box and use packing tape to thoroughly secure the box it is in. That box will then be placed inside of another box before it is shipped. I am not 100% sure what shipping service I will use, and I would be willing to consider a personal preference from the buyer. Regardless, this disc will be fully insured (at my expense) and a signature will be required upon delivery. I have checked with my local post office and they have indicated they can have this fully insured, so I might go with that because those folks have always been friendly and helpful, but I will also consider FedEx and UPS. If you have any other questions, please ask.

Price: 69000 USD

Location: Belmont, North Carolina

End Time: 2024-09-05T16:53:33.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD