Bear Super K Date ?

[Michael Tracy]

Howdy all,  
A buddy of mine got a real nice Bear Super K at the flea market last weekend and he asked me to help him figure out what it was worth. I would like to do this for him because he offered to sell it to me when he gets tired of playn' with it. It is a sweet shooting bow and would like to end up with it in my collection. BTW he paid a whole $40 for it. I know I can't ask directly what it is worth but I thought if I knew exactly what year it was made I might be able to find a value on it.
Bear Super Kodiak with Fascor, KZ25562, AMO-60", 50#. I have read that the Super K was made from "67" to "76" and that a K series serial number started in "70". I would rate the bow as good. It has no vertical stress cracks or limb twist and the finish is near perfect. It has a bushing for a stabilizer or fishing real and a hole that looks to be for a plunger rest. The medallion is missing and there are two holes with bushings in that area that look to be for a sight???All in all the bow looks great and as mentioned before a real sweet shooter.
Is this bow highly collected?
Thanx in advance for any and all help.
Michael, AKA broadsword

[**DONOTDELETE**]

no, no one wants them, send it to me & i'll see that you get your $40 back....actually, if it is a grayling bear, even with the holes in it, that was a good buy. some of the more talented fellows out there will buy one like your buddy's, plug up the holes, refinish it, & make a couple of franklins off of it for their trouble. being a 50# instead of the more common 40 to 45# draw will help as well. enjoy!    ps2

[Snakeeater]

To tell what year it is they will need to know what color the stripe is on it. I assume that the stripe is at a diagonal and not a vertical stripe. I think the color of the wood might be different between the years as well, so that would help.

[PAPALAPIN]

ANOTHER POINT - If it was routed for a coin inset about the size of a nickle, the it is at least 70-73.  Someone will correct me if I am wrong, but I think Bear startred with the raised plastic madallion in '74.  

The worst thing Bear did to us was to get away from the Serial numbering system that was used in the '60's.  That made it really easy to tell the year. While Frank Scott was still around, you could call the Bear Museum in FL and give him a serial number.  He would call back within a half hour and tell you the year, and any other info they had on it.  He was a super guy. After he passed away, no one ther knew how to look up the info.  And of course, now, the Museum is no more.  WHAT A LOSS!!

[Waterhole-Ike]

In late 1972 Bear started what was called the "Button" medallion. It was positioned high up on the riser and came in both gold and chrome covered plastic.

1959 was the first year for the coin. It was copper.
1960-61 was aluminum.
1962 was pewter.
1963 through 1970 was brass.
1971-1972 was nickel silver.

Hope this helps.

[Waterhole-Ike]

The KZ serial number range first shows up in the 1973 catalog. 1973 was the year that Bear introduced "Fascor" limbs. So your bow is no older than 1973. To save money on catalogs bear used the same pictures of bows from the previous years unless there was a major change. The 1976 catalog has bows in it with the KZ serial number range.