Wooden lures, sometimes called plugs, are the mainstay of this category. The first wooden lures in general use were made in the late 1800s, the golden age of wooden lures was from about 1915 to the 1950s. For lure collectors, as for other categories, condition is very important. For some lures certain colors of paint, or paint designs, are considered rarer than others and will bring a premium price. Lures that have been repainted, or that have lost most of their paint, have little or no value, unless they happen to be very, very, rare.
Many people collect lures made by one company.
The box a lure came in may be worth as much as the lure itself, in some cases more. Early boxes, for some companies, were sliding top, box jointed, wooden. These boxes are rare, and bring a premium price. Most boxes were made of cardboard, and many had beautiful graphics. Early metal spoons, and spinners, have some value.