001 Gears
General Information
The following information has been collected from original newspapers, catalogs, and magazines, some of which are freely available for reference below. The rest can be found in the site’s gallery. No aggregate catalogs (BrickLink, Brickset, etc.) were used.
Instructions:
H-2156 (1965) H-2169 (1965, Sears exclusive and possibly reused elsewhere) H-2351 (early 1968) F-2419 (late 1968)
All retail sets from 1965-71 that contained gears (003 Master Mechanic Set, 004 Master Builder Set, 005 Discovery Set, as well as Kraft sets) also included these instructions.
Advertised Part Count(s): 43 pieces
First Year Confirmed Available: 1965 (USA / Canada)
The Standard, December 9th, 1965
Most Likely Retirement Date: 1971 (USA / Canada)
The 001 Gears was part of a permanent line that started in 1965 and continued into 1971.
In regards to Canadian production, as 1971 was the last appearance in Canadian catalogs and 1972 catalogs showed the European gears, the Samsonite gears were likely retired by 1971 in Canada, even though many other Canadian Samsonite sets continued production into 1972.
Last Year Seen Available: 1971 (Canada)
Aliases: LEGO Gear Set, 001 Gears, 001 Gears Engrenages (Canadian)
Retail Price(s): $3.88 - $4.95 (USA) / $8.00 (Canada)
Discounted Example(s): $3.47 (1970), $1.99 (1971)
Rarity Score (Rarity Index): 1/7
Known Box/Packing Variants
As this set was in continuous production for six years in two countries, more variants than most other Samsonite sets.
The USA version has three known:
- The 1965-66 version will have two patents on the outer sleeve and an age range on the side:
- In ~1967-68, the box was updated to have "FOR ALL AGES" on the side as well as "Denver" on the front(below is a comparison):
- In ~1968-69, the set's front was updated to include eight patents. Below it is compared with the 1965-66 version:
- In ~1970-71, the set began printing "Some parts in the LEGO System are produced in Denmark" on the box. Copies from 1971 will have the plastic tray replaced with standard paper/plastic inserts, as well as a mix of black/grey tires. This is one I sold several years ago:
As far as I know, the box for the US version was never updated to have tabbed sides and continuously used the drawer style until the 001's retirement in 1971.
The Canadian version is much harder to track, but it has at least one variant. Note the Canadian version has a blue plastic tray compared to the gray US version:
I would be remiss if I also didn't share a mailer version of the 001. Similar to the 002 Motor Pak, only for the 1965 season did they appear in the Sears Catalog. The 002 is known to have come in a similar plain mailer box from Sears in 1965. These have been found with the Sears stamp:
That isn't to say Sears was the only source, however. It's also possible it was used for institutional purposes, but I've not yet identified any channel by which this would've been distributed, nor is it mentioned in any 1967+ educational materials. If it was indeed used in schools, we would expect it to have been sometime in 1965-66.
And on the topic of mailer variants, we have these from JCPenney (1966-1970):
This one at least had the JCPenney catalog number 923-2216 on the back:
Red ink boxes appeared ~1968, also from JCPenney:
Box/Overview
Starting production in 1965, the 001 Gears is just about the most common Samsonite era LEGO set, meaning you're likely familiar with it. Meaning you probably own multiple.
If not, it was introduced as a companion set to the 002 Motor Pak and later made a companion to the 107 Reversible Power Unit, which replaced the 002 Motor Pak in 1968.
Its box does not carry many notable features as it is formatted similar to the rest of the 1965+ line:
About the only thing of note is that the 001 Gears and the 002 Motor Pak are uniquely the only 1965 sets to have their set number and name on the drawer's side, where normally just "No. XXX" is:
I've speculated why that may be before, which is most likely because their designs were finalized before the rest of 1965's line (a good example is here).
Contents
Here's a standard example of an opened 001 Gears:
Early 1965 examples may have a 1x1 round brick with no lip. Sometime around 1968, the axles for wheels switched from brass to steel. Also, 1971 examples are likely to have black tires instead of the standard gray.
Should I collect this set?
Even though I omit this particular section from many of the 1965+ sets, as there just isn't much to talk about with them and I feel I'll be repeating myself quite often, this set is a little different due to my own history with it.
It was one of the first boxed sets I ever got my hands on (along with an 021 Wheel Set), and I collected several dozen over the years. I didn't start out intending to, you're bound to end up with an 001 set or two whether you want one or not.
After a while, I noticed the 001 was very cheap, you could get a boxed one for $10-$12 dollars and expect to pay $20 after shipping.
So naturally I bought more, not really for any rational reason. This went on until I owned nearly thirty copies.
I've since let go of most of them, having kept only two 001s (originally I intended to keep only one, but one somehow snuck past me). And I think that decision has helped mature me in a way, asking myself whether or not I truly want something or if I feel pressured as if I need it.
I know it's an odd connection to make to a LEGO set, especially one as innocuous as the 001 Gears.
Just something to think about.