One of a kind Dealer custom Black Phantom -Original unrestored - Value??

[Lamont]

Great bike... Great Legacy ...... never been one to play the numbers but if I was ..... cant help thinking 32797 has to be lucky ..... did she ever tell you what her guess was ?

 

[razinhellcustomz]

Sorry, I meant to say the headlight on the front fender was also chrome instead of painted, and was just plain wrong about the rear fender - it was the chrome passenger seat that made it unique and not the rear fender. Thank you for your response.

What chrome rear seat? Are you referring to the rear rack as a seat? It's meant to carry light parcels and is not meant as a seat...

 

[locomotion]

I have the 1950 Schwinn Black Phantom bicycle that my mother won at a Sports Show in Peoria, IL back in 1950 or 1951. She had the closest guess at the serial number to win. The bike was a custom modified by the Schwinn dealer in Peoria, Illinois Cycle, and this company is still in business in Peoria. Modifications include a reinforced front handle bar that I think came from the 1940's Auto Cycle Deluxe bikes, and instead of painted fenders and passenger seat like other Black Phantoms this one had all chrome funders and passenger seat. It also has the Peoria King badge on it rather than the standard Schwinn badge. The spring fork, locking fork, and handbrake were also on this bike. Due to these features I suspect it is truly a one of a kind bicycle. Other than the tires, the key, and the rear reflector which was torn off, this bike is all original and in unrestored condition. It has always been stored inside but in an unheated garage so there is rust damage on it. I will try and include a couple of photos to show condition. I would appreciate any estimates of what this would be worth in this original unrestored condition. Thank you.

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Cool Story. Great idea for a raffle ..... "Guess the serial number"
Is your mom Vernice Pope?
I wonder why they would write a value of $85 on the card if it was won! Maybe for insurance purposes if it was ever lost or stolen.
Maybe the "Sport Show" originally bought the bike from the dealer for $85 to raffle off.

I wonder if a nice, complete OA bath would help?

 

[razinhellcustomz]

Cool Story. Great idea for a raffle ..... "Guess the serial number"
Is your mom Vernice Pope?
I wonder why they would write a value of $85 on the card if it was won! Maybe for insurance purposes if it was ever lost or stolen.
Maybe the "Sport Show" originally bought the bike from the dealer for $85 to raffle off.

I wonder if a nice, complete OA bath would help?

The reason they wrote a selling price was for a tax write off... They donated the bike for a bussiness loss and write it off their bussiness taxes at the end of the year.. Good cause = good for bussiness

 

[Jeff54]

There is at least one noticeable difference that makes it unique as a one of a kind beyond the Dealer's badge.
Something U'd expect would not be on it. That badge is smaller than Schwinn's but no matter, right?

There's no 3-1/8" apart, holes for the screws to mount the badge, the distance for most all Schwinn badges, if not all then unique models.
I mean, unless that dealer filled em and repainted it, (I doubt) and drilled new holes for their own. They probably requested all their Schwinn's like this however, that badge and hole distance adds credence to the story. You could hide the holes with Schwinn's badge but can't do the opposite with this smaller one.

Provenance, original papers, receipt and credence can cause it's value to rise.

 

[Maurice]

Nice bike...great story! Definitely a unique Phantom. That adds value in my mind.

 

[HarryO47]

Great bike... Great Legacy ...... never been one to play the numbers but if I was ..... cant help thinking 32797 has to be lucky ..... did she ever tell you what her guess was ?

She told me what her guess was a long time ago and like a fool I didn't document it. I also can't recall how close she was to the number, but think it was within 10. I don't know if they gave the range that the number might be in, but since she was that close I assume they had to. Her guess had to do with birthdays or some other personal numbers of importance but I never did figure out what they might have been.

 

[HarryO47]

Cool Story. Great idea for a raffle ..... "Guess the serial number"
Is your mom Vernice Pope?
I wonder why they would write a value of $85 on the card if it was won! Maybe for insurance purposes if it was ever lost or stolen.
Maybe the "Sport Show" originally bought the bike from the dealer for $85 to raffle off.

I wonder if a nice, complete OA bath would help?

Yes, Vernice Pope was my mother.

 

[Rivnut]

The black phantom and the illustration of this red phantom would have reverse color schemes. IMHO, the only things different are the handle bars and the addition of the forebrake.

 

[Rivnut]

$85 in 1950 would be equivalent to $1,045 in 2022. Schwinn “Fair Price“ lists for the early 1950s showed the Phantoms to be just under $90.