# Murray mercury



## Overhauler (Oct 5, 2011)

trying to purcase this bike ...... the serial # is (MO-P........87807)...... if i am right that tells me it might be an 58 model

looks to be all original , with a rattle can paint job

the tires r (The Special Balloon Tyre) they look original

here r the pics i took........... let me know if i am right and what would be a ball park price 

Thanks , Lee


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## RMS37 (Oct 5, 2011)

I have been working on Murray-Ohio serial number decoding, primarily for Sears products through 1959 and I don’t believe this bike is a 1958 model as decoded from another thread. There are several earlier features on this bike including the 1” pitch drive train, the solid, “L” shaped seat post and the binder designed for it, and the tank with the fluted edge. Based on the progress I have made on my serial number model I would project a build date in the early fifties. 

Mercury’s are harder to find than the J.C. Higgins variants and the fluted tank is less common that the later tank with smooth edges but it is a basic bike in house-paint condition so as it sits the value would fall toward the low end of the scale for boy’s tanked 50’s bikes


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## Overhauler (Oct 6, 2011)

They want $200 ........... is that to much ?


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## RMS37 (Oct 6, 2011)

That depends on how you look at it… I don’t believe the bike would sell for more than $150 on eBay but the total value of the parts is a bit higher than that. 

Another way of looking at it is that you won’t have to pay shipping to get the bike so you could take a potential $75.00 off the price making it the equivalent of a $125.00 score on eBay.


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## Overhauler (Oct 6, 2011)

RMS37 said:


> That depends on how you look at it… I don’t believe the bike would sell for more than $150 on eBay but the total value of the parts is a bit higher than that.
> 
> Another way of looking at it is that you won’t have to pay shipping to get the bike so you could take a potential $75.00 off the price making it the equivalent of a $125.00 score on eBay.




Thanks Phil for all your insite ....... much appreciated , Lee


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## Larmo63 (Oct 6, 2011)

*Potential*

$200 seems fair if you want the bike. It has loads of potential. A rack?, Some elbow grease? Offer a bit lower, and buy it if you like it! Remember, the dollar is just about worthless so..........bikes may be a good investment.


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## Adamtinkerer (Oct 8, 2011)

There is a Mercury model that was still available in 1958, but it's a middleweight, like mine.



I found a '58 catalog page on ebay with a near identical bike.


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## charliechaindrive (Oct 9, 2011)

*booyah! i got same bike!*

Awesom I got the same bike and I paid 20$ for it and the only problem with it was a small dent (smaller than dime) in fender! So 150$? Wow
Victory is mine!


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## Adamtinkerer (Oct 10, 2011)

charliechaindrive said:


> Awesom I got the same bike and I paid 20$ for it and the only problem with it was a small dent (smaller than dime) in fender! So 150$? Wow
> Victory is mine!




I got mine for FREE!


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## charliechaindrive (Oct 12, 2011)

*blah*

Good job adam, but I just found a awesom hiawatha and me happy       its got the strangest springer I've ever seen, I gota thread posted 'bout it with pics


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## ABC Services (Oct 14, 2011)

*1950*

serial  number  p = 1950


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