A great thread, with excellent view points from all! My current vintage kits (1966 Rogers Headliner, 1967 Slingerland Jazz kit and 1971 Slingerland Modern Solo) each qualify as "collector grade". My newly acquired Slingerland 1968 80N BR kit is not only collector grade, but truly borders on "museum quality". There is just no real wear to this wonderful kit and obvious that it was babied over the decades. The only thing that might keep it from true Museum Quality is that that the original owner etched some identifying letters and numbers onto the lower COB hoop of each drum and the original aluminum bass drum mount. Other than that, this 80N is as factory perfect as I've ever seen!

-Mark

My take on it is if it's new in the box sitting in ones perfect environment, that is the best example of collectors grade, than from there down, they are graded according to scuffs , scratched, dings, pitting, rust, original parts, and fade. Now also my opinion is if it's a documented drum say signed or played by Ringo ( just a example) then no matter what shape it's in it's a collectors grade drum due to it's provenance that's key in evaluating. The other side is antique it is required that a item to be 100 years old or more so when most here are dead and gone that nickel jazzfest in mid sixties pearl wrap will be considered very collectables until then play them unless Nos

Now that was an excellent summary thank u !

It's a term used to draw an additional 20% out of a prospective buyer!Coffee Break2

I think we have a winner!