Most old pocket knives are worth about $10-60 as of late 2026. Used Imperial, Colonial, Ulster, Camillus, Schrade and Old Timer knives were made by the million and carried until the blades were sharpened thin, and they sell in that range to users and casual collectors. The money is in the makers and eras that knife collectors track by the tang stamp: a Case XX from 1940 to 1964 typically brings about $50-300 depending on pattern and condition, a Case Tested XX from 1920 to 1940 about $150-1,000 or more, and clean prewar Remington UMC and Winchester knives about $100-600, with the rarest patterns well into the thousands. At Morphy's, a Case Tested XX whittler with green bone handles sold for $4,674 and a Remington UMC stockman for $3,936. Those are exceptional knives in near original condition, not typical finds.
The tang stamp, the pattern and the blades decide the price. A knife with full, unsharpened blades and its original handles can be worth five to ten times the same pattern worn down by decades of use.
Quick answer
- Common used pocket knives (Imperial, Colonial, Ulster, Camillus, Old Timer): about $10-60.
- Case XX USA and dot dated Case, 1965 onward: about $20-120. Case XX, 1940 to 1964: about $50-300.
- Case Tested XX, 1920 to 1940: about $150-1,000, rare patterns and mint knives into the thousands.
- Prewar Remington UMC and Winchester: about $100-600, rare patterns more. Reissued Remington bullets and modern Winchesters: about $30-150.
How to identify and value a pocket knife, step by step
- Open the main blade and read the tang stamp. The tang is the flat part of the blade just above the hinge, and it carries the maker's name and often the country. On older knives every blade may be stamped; on later knives usually only the main blade.
- Date a Case knife by its stamp. Case changed its stamp in a known sequence. CASE TESTED XX, often in a curve or with the word TESTED, was used about 1920 to 1940. CASE XX alone was used about 1940 to 1964. CASE XX USA, with no dots, means 1965 to 1969. From 1970 Case added ten dots under the stamp and removed one each year, so ten dots is 1970, one dot 1979. From 1980 Case used other dot and symbol systems that collectors read with a dating chart.
- Read the Case pattern number. On Case knives from the XX era onward, a number on the reverse tang describes the knife. The first digit is the handle material (6 is jigged bone, 5 is genuine stag, 2 is smooth black, 3 is yellow composition, 9 is imitation pearl), the second is the number of blades, and the rest is the pattern. A 6347 is a jigged bone, three blade stockman.
- Read other makers. Remington knives are stamped REMINGTON UMC in a circle or straight line and carry a pattern number beginning with R. Remington made pocket knives from 1919 to 1940, so any original Remington knife is prewar. Winchester made knives from 1919 to about 1942, stamped WINCHESTER TRADE MARK MADE IN USA. Schrade Walden, Schrade Cut. Co., Ka-Bar, Robeson, Ulster, Camillus and the Old Timer line each have their own stamp histories.
- Check the blades for wear. Lay each blade next to a new knife of the same pattern, or a photo of one. Blades narrowed by sharpening, broken tips and deep pitting take most of the collector value away.
- Look at the handles. Stag, jigged bone with deep, even jigging, early celluloid and pearl are wanted. Cracked or replaced handle scales, missing shields and loose pins deduct.
- Test the action. Each blade should open and close with a firm snap and sit centered when closed. Weak springs and blades that rub the liner are faults.
- Look for a box or sheath. Original boxes add value on Case knives from the 1960s onward and on Old Timer and Remington reissues.
What antique pocket knives sell for
Values are for knives with full or near full blades, original handles and sound action, as of late 2026.
| Knife | Era | Typical value |
|---|---|---|
| Used Imperial, Colonial, Ulster, Camillus | 1930s to 1980s | $10-40 |
| Schrade Old Timer, USA made, used | 1958 to 2004 | $15-60 |
| Schrade Old Timer, boxed, unused | 1960s to 1990s | $40-150 |
| Case dot dated or later, common patterns | 1970s onward | $20-80 |
| Case XX USA, no dots | 1965 to 1969 | $30-150 |
| Case XX, common patterns (stockman, trapper, jack) | 1940 to 1964 | $50-300 |
| Case XX, stag or scarce patterns | 1940 to 1964 | $200-800 |
| Case Tested XX, common patterns | 1920 to 1940 | $150-600 |
| Case Tested XX, rare patterns, mint | 1920 to 1940 | $1,000-5,000 |
| Remington UMC, common patterns | 1920s to 1930s | $100-400 |
| Remington UMC, rare patterns or bullet knives, fine | 1920s to 1930s | $1,000-4,000+ |
| Original Winchester | 1919 to 1942 | $100-600 |
| Remington bullet reissues and modern Winchester | 1980s onward | $30-150 |
The auction record shows the top of the range. Heritage sold a Case XX 551 stag lockback from about 1920 to 1939, with its original sheath, for $968.75. Morphy's sold a Case Tested XX 6391 whittler for $4,674 and a Remington UMC R3923 stockman for $3,936. At the other end, a Case XX 6347 HP in honest used condition was reported sold for $86, which is where most XX knives land.
Condition and what changes the price
| Factor | Effect |
|---|---|
| Full blades, original handles, crisp action, light age | The baseline for the prices above |
| Mint, unsharpened, original box | Two to five times a used example |
| Blades noticeably sharpened down | Deduction of about 30-60 percent |
| Broken tip or chipped edge | Deduction of about 20-50 percent |
| Rust pitting on blades or bolsters | Deduction of about 30-70 percent |
| Cracked or replaced handles | Deduction of about 40-70 percent |
| Weak or broken spring | Deduction of about 30-50 percent |
| Buffed or polished to look new | Collectors deduct; it hides wear and removes stamps |
| Rare pattern or handle material | Premium, sometimes large |
Collectors care about stamps that can still be read. Aggressive buffing that softens the tang stamp can turn a datable knife into a mystery and cut its value in half.
Common mistakes
- Reading every CASE XX as old. CASE XX USA with dots is from 1970 onward, and those knives are common. Look closely for USA and dots before assuming 1940 to 1964.
- Mistaking a reissue for a prewar knife. Remington has reissued its bullet knife annually since the early 1980s, and modern Winchester knives use the old name. The reissues are marked with years or modern stamps.
- Sharpening a knife before selling it. A fresh edge removes metal and makes the blade look worked on. Sell knives as found.
- Soaking in rust remover or buffing on a wheel. Both damage handle materials and soften stamps.
- Counting on the brand alone. A worn Case or Remington is still a used knife. Blade condition matters as much as the stamp.
- Pricing from asking listings. Pocket knife listings at several hundred dollars are common and often do not sell. Use sold results for the same pattern and stamp.
How WorthPic reads pocket knife photos
WorthPic runs on the newest and most capable AI model available, tuned for exactly this kind of identification. From a clear close photo of the tang it reads the maker's stamp and, for Case, the era from Tested XX to dots. From the reverse tang it reads the pattern number and decodes handle material, blade count and pattern. From photos of the open knife it judges blade shape and wear against what an unsharpened blade should look like, and it reads the handle material, shield and bolsters. It then gives an honest value range for the maker, pattern and visible condition. What it cannot know from a photo is how the springs snap, whether handles have been replaced with care, or whether a blade has been reground, and it says so. It identifies and estimates. It does not authenticate, grade or appraise for insurance.
What to photograph
- The tang stamp close up and readable, in raking light, on each blade that has one.
- The reverse tang with any pattern number.
- The knife open, all blades extended, front and back.
- The knife closed, both sides, showing handles and shield.
- The spine of the closed knife, which shows spring alignment.
- The box or sheath, if present.
When to get it looked at in person
A used Imperial, Old Timer or dot-era Case is a $10-80 knife, and a sold-listing search with the stamp and pattern noted is enough. Case Tested XX knives, Case XX knives with stag handles or scarce patterns, and any prewar Remington or Winchester in good condition are worth a closer look. Knife shows and collector clubs such as the National Knife Collectors Association are full of people who can read a stamp and spot replaced handles in seconds, and specialist auction houses such as Morphy's and Heritage sell the best knives. Pocket knives often come out of the same toolboxes as antique hand tools and vintage Zippo lighters, and our guide to antique swords covers larger edged pieces.