I've had these two pair of old National fingerpicks for decades.
As pairs, they don't match. See the differences such as the lettering in the name NATIONAL, straight legged 7s vs curved legged 7s in the serial numbers, and really the overall character size and spacing.
Reminds me of the old joke about the guy being told he's wearing one black sock and one brown sock and responding, "I have another pair just like it at home." I guess I had all these picks and put together two pairs of one each from a different year or era.
When are they from?
You can probably tell the pair on the left are the ones I've worn the most. They live in my pick bag. The pair on the right have been backups in a box in one of my banjo cases. These days, I mostly play Dotson 8s.
I believe I have two more equally old Nationals in a guitar case. Will check those out sometime.
The 8s seem to be formed from circles, not ovals. So maybe these aren't the most rare or desirable. Does anyone know how to date them? I expect them to be 1980s. Maybe 70s and I've had them for as long as I've been playing banjo.
There used to be a website that was devoted entirely to National finger picks.
Photos and description of all the variations and with that the years of manufacture for each example.
Anyone know where that went?
Alvin, the website you remember would have been Dean Hoffmyer's - and it was an excellent website indeed dedicated to National picks. It was taken down probably 8 or 10 years ago. At one point I had actually talked with Dean and he indicated he wanted or intended to "put the website back up soon," but alas, he never did. I certainly wish he would put it back up, as I'm sure many others also do!
I have one with the curved 7, exactly like the right pair, bought in the mid seventies.
quote:
Originally posted by lucas73bI have one with the curved 7, exactly like the right pair, bought in the mid seventies.
Thanks for placing one in a specific decade.
But note what I said: Each of these "pairs" contains one curved 7 and one straight 7. I'm assuming I bought picks at different times, they got mixed up in my accessories box, and I put together some pairs without regard for when I bought them. It's also possible that places I bought picks mixed up inventory from different eras. I seem to recall one place I bought fingerpicks (a record shop with a good bluegrass selection and instrument accessories) had Nationals in a fishbowl. I think they were 15 cents each, two for a quarter.
I must have bought more than the six I still own. Where did they go?
Thanks to a Hangout member sharing screen captures of the Hoffmeyer pages, it looks to me that both my curved and straight 7s picks were from the last years (decades) of what he called "real" Nationals. The non-centered holes in the side bands, good centering of the lettering, and use of U.S.A. are all consistent with the Hoffmeyer photos. The very last version of the Nationals, which he said started appearing in the mid-80s, had curved 7s and an always off-center "U.S.A." So mine are not from the very end.
quote:
Originally posted by lucas73bI have one with the curved 7, exactly like the right pair, bought in the mid seventies.
Do you remember from which shop you got them?
I have several left from that period (only one matching pair as my go to's for recording), the last probably in a shop in the Raadhuisstraat and sometimes from Hampe too.
What I said about recording, I finally have a set that equals these old ones, a pair of Dotson Eigths, I got as a present.... he gift of the century so far...... 
quote:Originally posted by RB-1quote:Originally posted by lucas73bI have one with the curved 7, exactly like the right pair, bought in the mid seventies.Do you remember from which shop you got them?
I have several left from that period (only one matching pair as my go to's for recording), the last probably in a shop in the Raadhuisstraat and sometimes from Hampe too.
What I said about recording, I finally have a set that equals these old ones, a pair of Dotson Eigths, I got as a present.... he gift of the century so far......
@RB-1 They came from Hampe. It is a pity that shop no longer exists.
Amazing...
Back then could even buy real Nationals in our native city of Amsterdam.... 
Edited by - RB-1 on 06/23/2026 10:45:19
My (possibly faulty) recollection is that Music Box in Langley Park, Maryland (near both my apartment and the University), sold National metal fingerpicks for 15 cents each or two for a quarter. National plastic thumb picks might have been 10 cents or three for a quarter.
Why I don't have too many more of these around, I don't know.
quote:
Originally posted by Old HickoryThanks to a Hangout member sharing screen captures of the Hoffmeyer pages, it looks to me that both my curved and straight 7s picks were from the last years (decades) of what he called "real" Nationals. The non-centered holes in the side bands, good centering of the lettering, and use of U.S.A. are all consistent with the Hoffmeyer photos. The very last version of the Nationals, which he said started appearing in the mid-80s, had curved 7s and an always off-center "U.S.A." So mine are not from the very end.
Any chance that we'll be seeing these screen shots too?
I'd wish I made them when we still could....
quote:
Originally posted by lucas73bquote:Originally posted by RB-1quote:Originally posted by lucas73bI have one with the curved 7, exactly like the right pair, bought in the mid seventies.Do you remember from which shop you got them?
I have several left from that period (only one matching pair as my go to's for recording), the last probably in a shop in the Raadhuisstraat and sometimes from Hampe too.
What I said about recording, I finally have a set that equals these old ones, a pair of Dotson Eigths, I got as a present.... he gift of the century so far......
@RB-1 They came from Hampe. It is a pity that shop no longer exists.
The shop in the Raadhuisstraat was Muller… I didn't know that Hampe was gone.
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