The Most Valuable Collectors' Items in History

91. Norris Jointer Plane

Manufacturer: Thomas Norris
Original Price: $60-$70*
Worth Today: $12,250*

Fine Woodworking magazine described this plane as the “Rolls Royce of plane hands.” Judging by the auction price, someone seems to agree. The Norris Jointer Plane was designed by Thomas Norris, an English planemaker known for working with exotic woods.

The rarity of these planes explains the price, as few of them survived the Second World War. Those that remain are highly sought after by collectors, both for their scarcity and their utilitarian value. For those who expected “plane” to mean something with wings, it doesn't – a plane join is used in woodworking to align the edges of boards, a process called “joining.”