Did I just strike gold with 3 sets of Honma (five star?) clubs?

[jacktru]

I am not really a golfer so I am pretty naive about gear and all that, but am aware that Honma makes some highly coveted and highly expensive clubs.

 

I have 3 sets, each with a bag.

 

Got these at a sale and am hoping to re-sell them and just want to get some input from everyone on what kind of price these might fetch but also if there are any important differences between them even if they look similar and have more or less the same 'name' on the clubs.

 

Paid $300 for each bag/set

 

Here's the info:

 

Set #1: Brown bag: http://imgur.com/a/32yJK

 

Irons: 3-11, ‘LB-606,’ “New H&F,” 5 stars on club face, “New super light titanium carbon Type-S” and five stars on shaft

 

Woods: 3, 4, 5, ‘Big-LB Titan’,’ New super light titanium carbon Type-S” and five stars on shaft

 

Putter: CB8055 ‘Sinker’, ‘Gold super light titanium carbon’ shaft w/five stars

 

1 (wood?) ‘Titanium 330, HH Twin Marks,’ ‘Doric Titanium, feather and feather’ shaft,’ w/five stars

 

Driver: ‘Beres M6712 460’, 5 stars on head, ‘ARMRQ B49 R’ shaft w/five stars

 

All woods, driver, and putter have cover, 1 wood has mismatched cover

 

Set #2: White bag: http://imgur.com/a/QPUTy

 

Irons: 3-11 + S Wedge, ‘LB-606, H&F Cavity’ and ‘Gold titanium 24k’ on head. ‘Gold super light titanium carbon S, R1’ shaft w/five stars

 

Woods: 1, 3, 5, 7, ‘Big-LB 280’, ‘ST System Super light titanium carbon Type-s, R1’ shaft w/five stars

 

Putter: ‘LB-201 Type-I, CNC Milled,’ ‘Gold super light titanium carbon’ shaft w/five stars

 

All woods have cover.

 

Set #3: Brown bag w/blue handle: http://imgur.com/a/Nzw9V

 

Irons: 3-11 + S Wedge, ‘LB-606, H&F Cavity’ and ‘Gold titanium 24k’ on head. ‘Gold super light titanium carbon S, R1’ shaft w/five stars

 

Woods: 1, 3, 5, 7, ‘Big-LB 280’, ‘New Super light titanium carbon Type-S, R1’ shaft w/five stars

 

Driver: ‘Beres M6712 460’, 5 stars on head, ‘ARMRQ B49 R’ shaft w/five stars

 

Putter: ‘LB-201 Type-I, CNC Milled,’ ‘Gold super light titanium carbon’ shaft w/five stars

 

All woods, driver, and putter have cover

 

I also have a Ladies' sand wedge: http://imgur.com/a/7279H ‘LB-280, New H&F’ five stars on head. ‘Gold super light titanium carbon’ shaft w/five stars

 

Any information or input you guys have is greatly appreciated.

[kingarthur]

I would say all 3 sets are authentic, but I don't think they will sell as much as you might think. All 3 sets are realitively old, I would say around 7 to 8 years at the very least.

[jacktru]

I would say all 3 sets are authentic, but I don't think they will sell as much as you might think. All 3 sets are realitively old, I would say around 7 to 8 years at the very least.

 

I have no doubt they're authentic (it was the home of someone who very much could afford these clubs), and they're probably at least 10 years old (I think I'm going to try and contact a supplier or Honma themselves and try to sort out their age and classification and such) but they are in great condition. I'm just trying to figure out what a reasonable price these may sell for would be, and where best to sell them (eBay is what I'm thinking but if there are any more direct ways to sell to customers in Korea or Japan I'd be interested).

 

Thanks!

[puresurfr]

Those brand new probably cost in excess of 40K.......As for resale, you will make a healthy return, it really depends on condition, if they were pristine, it would be very very profitable

[adizero]

Send them to Sotheby's and get ready to retire. Try to contact a seller/dealer in Japan or Taiwon. GLWS

[3_Putt_Par]

GLWS

[Spoon]

Why were they so cheap?

If they are authentic you hit the jackpot.

[Soloman1]

I'm going to say that there are some problems:

 

ARMRQ shafts weren't introduced until years after the Big LB Titans heads were discontinued.

 

Beres models were the economy brand then and only had 2 star shafts.

 

I've never seen LB-606 irons have star ratings on the heads.

 

Here's one test: what is the serial number of the iron set? Where and on which club is it located? That may tell you if the irons are authentic. The irons are not that expensive anyway. You can buy them used in Japan for about $30.

[jacktru]

I can locate the serial number when I'm back home later today, and plan to call Honma for verification but the person who owned these clubs had the money to buy them retail for tens of thousands of dollars whenever he bought them, so authenticity is not a concern of mine so much as a good place to sell them and a good price. If there are discrepancies in the shaft and the year and all that, I'll have to ask Honma or some local business that could verify.

 

Thanks for the input everybody!

 

Why were they so cheap?

If they are authentic you hit the jackpot.

 

Just some estate sale (of a very, very wealthy gentleman), so it was quite a steal.

[Spoon]

I can locate the serial number when I'm back home later today, and plan to call Honma for verification but the person who owned these clubs had the money to buy them retail for tens of thousands of dollars whenever he bought them, so authenticity is not a concern of mine so much as a good place to sell them and a good price. If there are discrepancies in the shaft and the year and all that, I'll have to ask Honma or some local business that could verify.

 

Thanks for the input everybody!

 

Why were they so cheap?

If they are authentic you hit the jackpot.

 

Just some estate sale (of a very, very wealthy gentleman), so it was quite a steal.

 

Good idea calling a Honma rep to erase all possible doubts and would be fair to the future owner of these clubs.

 

I don't doubt they are authentic but don't assume they automatically are based on wealth of individual. Some of the wealthiest guys I know are also the biggest cheapskates and I know a couple that buy replica watches etc. and have been had by buying seemingly too good to be true items at insane prices wether willingly had or unwillingly.

[JDLA]

Nice find. I believe the 5 star are 50t shafts. Can someone confirm. Crazy made an 80t iron shaft I know that.

[Spoon]

Nice find. I believe the 5 star are 50t shafts. Can someone confirm. Crazy made an 80t iron shaft I know that.

 

there is a crazy shaft called the CBI-80 which is indeed 80t

[Soloman1]

So, did you find those serial numbers on the irons? Where were they stamped?

[kobe23]

The Asian market is not very fond of used golf clubs. Golf is a sport to exhibit status, and a used/old clubs just defeat the purpose. Pretty sure it would fetch better price in the west.

[jacktru]

So, did you find those serial numbers on the irons? Where were they stamped?

 

Stamped right on the back of the part where the iron is jointed with the shaft. For example, one of them has a serial number 3934414

[WidespreadPanic]

So why exactly are Honma clubs so expensive? I was looking at their latest driver at Golfdom the other day. It was 46.5 inches and the stiff shaft felt like a wet noodle. The entire club, including the shaft, was gold in color. Very strange.

[Soloman1]

Only the 8-iron of genuine Honma iron sets has a serial number. The rest of the irons in the set have nothing stamped.

[Bsgolf53]

I'd say you were ripped off...