I found a forum that is primarily dedicated to collecting fishing crankbaits.  Primarily Rapalas.......i never realized people did this........anyways,

I attended the BPS Classic tonight and this particular night was for BPS Rewards card Members.  The first 150 members recieved a free BPS Classic crankbait.

The Crankbait was a Bomber Square A crank with the BPS logo painted on the side of it.  It came in the normal Bomber package but the title on the box says 2011 Spring Classic.

Is a lure like this actually a collectors item or should it be cracked open and used?

I dont collect lures at all, so i dont know if lures like this would hold any value.........

I can't help you with the value aspect on your bait but I do keep some old lures aside. most of them are very old baits from friends or stuff I have kept since I was a kid (they were old back then). apparently some have value but from what I have read, many old baits were produced in such great numbers that value is low. there are books and clubs around and maybe I will check into them some day.

Collectibles are only as valuable as their limited numbers make them.

TJ

I'd keep it just as a keepsake like a ticket stub and because it looks cool. You didn't pay for it anyways. Possibly being worth a bit more in the long run would just be a bonus for me.

Try it out on EBAY or something? If it is a series then someone has to collect them and someone had to miss that event. I dont collect them either but i have seen some custom crankbaits that are way to purdy to fish that would look good on a wall!

I just got two vision 110's, a GP Pro Blue and Pro Blue 2.  Its gonna be hard to throw those and just not stare at them. So sexy........

Keep it in the box. If it ever becomes a collectible, it's worth more with original package or box.

hey u guys!

from now on we buy 2

u fish 1 we hide 1 from momma

we call it collection, dat fine wit  me

hey u guys!

from now on we buy 2

u fish 1 we hide 1 from momma

we call it collection, dat fine wit me

A very wise man errrr I mean monkey !!!!!!!!

I never buy lures with the intent of just collecting them, but I sure have lots of lures that have never been wet.

My wife is a quilter and has often teased me about this. But she has not said anything since I opened the door of her quilting closet and pointed out the hundreds of "fat quarters" and other odd pieces of fabric that she claims she will "need" someday.

Yes, I do purchase lures and plan not to use them, got a "few". 

Last year a friend cleaned out his boat and gave me a bunch of stuff.  There were a few lures that seemed old, but in good condition.  I stuck them up on the wall 'cause they just looked cool. 

I like to collect old lures. Mostly stuff at garage sales and flea markets. I never use them though

I collect lures, but try to fish each when I can. I am sure I have a few that have never seen the water. It would be nice to have a section on the forum for collectors to chat. Glenn?

Would definately keep it in its original package. That has a huge effect on the price of a collectable lure.

I do it all the time, particularly the pretty ones from Japan.  I usually get two, one to fish and the other to collect dust.

I collect some lures, Old Bagleys and Heddon wooden lures mostly.  Some go for a ton on Ebay...

My favorite lure to get my hands on is the Cooper Looper Bubble Frog. An old plastic crank with vinyl streamers. I have four that I found at different times, and they are just flat out cool.  I have a piece of driftwood that I mount my favorites on.

Many of my hardbaits collect dust for whatever reason if i don't catch anything on them.

I don't intentionally collect them but they do end up that way sometimes.

I rarely(never) sell my baits.If i don't want a bait anymore and certain I don't need it I'll give it away to my buddy and he'll manage to lose it to a Pike somehow.He doesn't fish for pikes but the pikes sure like finding him. I laugh every time he catches one.

No.

I do go to antique stores and look for old lures and use them.

And I have a collection of old lures hanging in a frame in my Man Cave. 

I'm far too broke for something like that