Craig:
Just to put a finer point on it...The Personal, and other models of that time, were made both in 1969 and 1970 and can be differentiated by a number stamped above and below the joint. The '69 cues (and there were about 6 or 7 different models) were made entirely by Schmelke for Brunswick. In 1970 Scmelke made the butts and jointed and fitted a shaft balnk to the butt, and stamped the numbers. The jointed blanks were then sent to Japan (probably an early venture by Adam / Dick Helmstetter) for final contouring and ferrule and tip installation. The numbers were used to properly mate the butts and shafts upon their return from Japan. Production eventually went entirely to Japan (Adam) and ultimately to Taiwan, which knocked-off a lot of the Adam/Brunswick designs. This was the nadir of Brunswick cue offerings. There was one other cue manufcturer involved with Brunswick at this time (early '70's), and that was Dufferin. There was a line of Brunswick cues called The Silver Line, that was wholly produced by Dufferin and sported the unique Dufferin joint. One last fine point - When Brunswick got back in the cue business in the early 90's, not all lines were made in the USA and Canada, there was still some Taiwanese production, but by this point the quality had improved vastly.
I think you were pretty much spot-on with your value assessment. Of course, anything is only worth whatever someone is willing to pay. Just had a friend that sold a Titlist (rosewood) on Ebay and got $670+ for it - we all dream of hitting home runs.
HTH a little more
Adios,
Pizza Bob