COLLECTING VINTAGE SURFBOARDS; BUYING, SELLING & TRADING

Redwood planks, Pacific System Homes laminated wood, Tom Blake style hollow construction, wood Hot Curls, 1950's balsa, 1960's longboards and 1970's shortboards.

Whatever you collect, buying selling and trading are a big part of what collecting is all about... The thrill of the hunt and the validation of the find.

Collecting vintage surfboards (and related memorabilia) has become hugely popular for surfers and even non surfers. Old wood planks or 1960's and 1970's surfboards are now commonly used as center pieces for decor in places as diverse as Japan, South America, Australia, Europe.

Being connected to a body of water is not a prerequisite to collecting surfing memorabilia. These days you can find old boards in restaurants, every kind of variety shop, retail stores and of course museums and in family homes worldwide.

While some collectors only 'need' one or two of the surfboards they rode as a kid, others have as many as 200 or 300 vintage surfboards and every kind of surfing-related item in their collection.

Once you discover the area of board collecting that most interests you, the hunt begins in earnest. The most fun (in my opinion) is the hunt. In the process of buying, selling and trading, we collectors will make great friends and connection we might otherwise never get to know. And visit places we might not otherwise go.

Little information has been published on collectors, collections and values. The worth of a collectible surfboard is very subjective and subject to many variables and influences. Like with most collectibles, prices can go up and down with these variables. So it's important to collect what you love for the sake of collecting.

Sometimes the best way to get the most 'value' from your old surfboard or collectible is to trade. Trading surf boards is a good way for both parties to get what each wants and leaves both collectors feeling like winners. If you are unable to, or not interested in swapping boards, then finding a buyer for top dollar can be a bit more difficult.

Some ways to find buyers for that old vintage surfboard may be running ads in your local paper, magazine (much more expensive), or the internet.

Here's a brief overview of eras in the evolution of surfboards... 1900-1970:

• 1900 to 1920's: Wood 'plank' surfboards.
• 1930's to 1940's: Laminated wood surfboards.
• 1940's to 1950's: Tom Blake influenced hollow boards.
• 1950's to 1960's: Balsa boards.
• 1960's, 1970's, 1980's even 1990's: Foam & fiberglass.

Here's a sampling of some of the better know surfboard builders from the 1950s, 60s & 70s:

I don't think there's a hobby as rewarding or fulfilling as collecting vintage surfboards!

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P.O. Box 812 Haiku, Hawaii 96708-0812 USA
Email: Info@SURFnHULA.com

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