Gold Crown casting dates match model year?

[SDB]

Trying to date my GC.
Was told by seller it's a GC 1.

It has:
plastic skirts
adjustable feet
pot metal emblem on head rail
large counters on foot rail
Floating rail nuts. (no figure eights)
Blackish/dark grey colored slate
Original paint-one coat-white and gold.
Based on staple marks, it's only been recovered 3 times
Has been in private residence for the past 30+ years.

It has an original Brunswick paper sticker on one of the legs with an "assembly date" of xxxx71. The coded date is handwritten in pencil and fading. Would this be the original assembly date that the table went into use? With the above listed options and the dated sticker, I'm guessing this would be a 1971 table then? 1971 would also match up to the adjustable legs and rail nuts as well as the approximate age based on history the seller gave me. A late model GC 1.

What confused me is once I dissasembled the table, the casting dates on all the feet and aluminum pocket castings are all dated from 12/63 to 1/64.

Did Brunswick use the same castings from the early 60's for the next decade? Is this a '71 table? It can't be a 1964 table as it has the later style rail mounts. I thought I read somewhere that the casting dates would match production year?

Can anyone shed some light on this?

 

[rrich1]

more people can give some insight but under the rails is a letter stamp. email that to Brunswick and they can advise when the rails were produced.

 

[SDB]

more people can give some insight but under the rails is a letter stamp. email that to Brunswick and they can advise when the rails were produced.

I'll try that.

 

[SDB]

Any one have any idea if early casting dates could/would be on a model 10 years later?

 

[9-ball B]

I have seen many Gold Crowns from the late sixties that had the early dates like that under the castings. With all the descriptions of your table, it's definitely a GCII. Sounds like a dream scenario to pick up a Gold Crown from a residence that has has had such light use, they normally come out of a pool room and have been recovered 50 or more times. Congrats

 

[ROB.M]

Table

Just seen this one'
http://dubuque.craigslist.org/spo/3294112188.html

 

[realkingcobra]

Any one have any idea if early casting dates could/would be on a model 10 years later?

The date is the date of the mold cast, has nothing to do with table production year

 

[SDB]

Just seen this one'
http://dubuque.craigslist.org/spo/3294112188.html

Looks exactly like mine. :grin:

I've also got the ball return.

 

[SDB]

The date is the date of the mold cast, has nothing to do with table production year

Thank you.
Much appreciated.

I've also sent the date codes to Brunswick. I'm guessing it's a very late 1 or early 2.

 

[fastone371]

There are 2 lucky people I guess, my GC was purchased new late 60s early 70s and was in someones home. The guy I bought it from picked it up from original owner in late 80s, had it moved and covered, then I bought it in Dec. 2011, set it it up with the same cloth from early 80s yet, got it for $300.00 with yellow Centinials, Brunswick 1 piece cues, a Hoppe cue and a double sided Brunswick floor standing cue rack, I think I even have the original brush it came with and the Brunswick box but the box is falling apart. I will find out if it is a I or II soon, I plan on doing Artimis cushions, rail mods by Mark Gregory, and Simonis cloth. I dont want to take it out of use for the month it will take though. I thought I would not use table much over summer but I was wrong.

 

[SDB]

Thank you.
Much appreciated.

I've also sent the date codes to Brunswick. I'm guessing it's a very late 1 or early 2.

:scratchhead:

Ok. So I sent an email to Brunswick...

I'm trying to date my Brunswick Gold Crown table. I believe it's a first series. Date codes on rails are BYV FA. Legs CYV. Stretcher BYV. Base Frame AYV. Aprons BYV. Gulley and Track AYV. Ball storage box BYV. Slate & Frame EYV with date of assembly "5571"? Can you tell me how to decipher these codes?
Thank you.

This morning I got a super fast response.

The "Y" portion of all of your codes indicates your Gold Crown III model was manufactured in 1985.

I responded questioning their answer and recieved this reply...

We began coding rail sets in 1967. There is no one here at the Division now who was employed then. As I stated in my earlier e-mail our coding chart shows "Y" are 1985. A, B, C, D, and E would relate to January, February, March, April and May. "FA" on your rail set would be missing letter number 3 in our 3 letter code system. Attached is our Gold Crown Comparison chart, which has identifiers for Gold Crown models I, II, III and IV. All Gold Crown 1s were originally offered in Cream, Tangerine, Blue or Gold bodies., Gold Crown II and III models were rosewood bodies.


The attachment was the 2 page chart that shows the differences in models that we've all seen. Since I have a gold and white with the plastic skirt, large counters, and solid aluminum polished pocket castings, it has to be a series I. The adjustable feet and smaller hinged skirts would make it a series II (or late I). Since it is all original laquer paint and aluminum castings, it can't be a III. Yet the company that built her, says she's a 1985 series III model.

I'm feeling a bit like Johny Cash.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HfbRdclvkM

 

[jfred0826]

Gold Crown

SDB,

The 1961 Gold Crown manual shows non-adjustable feet. I think that the 1963 Gold Crown manual shows adjustable feet. Thus, even early GCI's can have adjustables.

I have a GCI that came to me with a 1961 manual, but I can only positively trace the table back to 1967. That info was provided by the second owner's daughter. According to her statement, the table was definitely in her father's house in 1967.

It is just like yours, minus the ball return and slate. Mine is pinned Brunstone. By virtue of the fact that it existed in 1967, mine is a GCI.

GCII's were made from 1974 to 1976.

jfred

 

[SDB]

SDB,

The 1961 Gold Crown manual shows non-adjustable feet. I think that the 1963 Gold Crown manual shows adjustable feet. Thus, even early GCI's can have adjustables.

I have a GCI that came to me with a 1961 manual, but I can only positively trace the table back to 1967. That info was provided by the second owner's daughter. According to her statement, the table was definitely in her father's house in 1967.

It is just like yours, minus the ball return and slate. Mine is pinned Brunstone. By virtue of the fact that it existed in 1967, mine is a GCI.

GCII's were made from 1974 to 1976.

jfred

Interesting info on the manuals. Thanks for the info.

Based on history I've been told by the seller and the fact that it has floating rail nuts and the shorter hinged skirts, I believe it to be a '71. I was just hoping for confirmation from Brunswick by the date codes, but I think their internal coding is off a bit.

From what I've read on-line, adjustable feet became an option in 1963 and became standard on the GCII, so yes, the feet don't mean much toward dating. Since the casting dates on my feet are 1963, this would make sense.

The GCII is listed as having Zinc pocket castings, and mine has aluminum, so I believe that rules out a GCII.

Having the GCII style rail nuts, makes mine a late GCI I believe. I did read that the GCI was converted to the GCII style rails in the late 60's.

One thing is for sure. There is no pure difference between models of Gold Crowns. :grin: They were an evolution.

 

[javi2]

I have a Gold Crown III. The code under my rail is HZW. "Y" is that? Lol... I was told by Brunswick that the code corresponded with a Model III made from 83-86. Post a photo of your table....the mechanics will let you know...

 

[SDB]

I have a Gold Crown III. The code under my rail is HZW. "Y" is that? Lol... I was told by Brunswick that the code corresponded with a Model III made from 83-86. Post a photo of your table....the mechanics will let you know...

HZW ... BYV? They look the same! Right? :grin:
Amazingly, Brunswick says they're both the same years.

My table is in pieces right now. Aluminum parts went to the polisher today and all the cast parts went to the powder coater. All the wood bits, I'll be stripping and refinishing over the next week or two. Next month, she'll come back together as one again. I"ll get some good pictures of the parts and post up here.

On a side note, it's amazing how much grime and dirt the return gulley tracks can accumulate over 40 plus years. They look like new again now though.

Oh...and 40 year old cork in the ball box doesn't supply much cushion.

 

[SDB]

What is the progression of Brunswick Super Speeds?

What is, or is there, a difference between the "Monarch Superspeed" and Brunswick Super Speeds? Are they one in the same or does the "Monarch" date this cushion? Looks to be original to my table.

For extra credit, explain why Brunswick used Astronauts shooting pool on their cushion labels. lol

 

[SDB]

Here's a few pics of my table.

Before Disassembly.

Breaking her down.

Parts.

 

[SDB]

Ball box minus the rock hard cork.

All the aluminum will be polished to show quality appearance.
The threaded adjusters were so rusted up, you could hardly make out the threads. After a few days in Vinegar, they look like new.

I blasted all the chrome and dropped all the pot metal off to be powder coated.

 

[BenBrown]

I recently bought what appears to be an old GCI. It has the figure "8" rail plates and no adjustable feet. The pocket castings are the older 1/4" thick ones and all of my three letter date codes are the same... JRV. I emailed Brunswick the date code and they quickly emailed me back and stated that my table was built in 1982. I definitely think their dating chart is way off!

 

[TexanZ06]

SDB here is my GC 2 after a rebuild, Mark did the rails, great job.
Good luck with yours.