What Is My Selmer Mark VI Worth? A Value Guide

If you have a Selmer Mark VI in a closet, an attic, or your own gig bag, you’re holding one of the most famous saxophones ever built. Henri Selmer Paris made the Mark VI from 1954 to 1974, and players and collectors still want them.

But two Mark VIs that look alike can be worth very different amounts. Here’s what drives value, why a cash offer differs from a retail listing price, and how to sell yours.

Condition means everything. With a Mark VI, condition and originality (finish, dents, repairs, neck damage, pads, and whether the neck and parts are original) can move the value a great deal. Two horns with nearly the same serial number can sell for very different prices. The only way to know what yours is worth is to have it looked at with good photos.

What Affects a Selmer Mark VI’s Value?

1. Voice: Alto, Tenor, Soprano, or Baritone

In general, tenors bring the most, then altos, with sopranos noticeably lower. Baritones are rarer and change hands less often, so each one is priced on its own. Altos with a low A key are generally less in demand than standard low B-flat altos.

2. Serial Number and Year

The serial number tells you when your horn was made, and with the Mark VI the year has a big effect on value. Mark VI serials start at about 55,200 (1954) and run to roughly the 230,000 range by 1974, when the Mark VII took over for altos and tenors. Sopranos and baritones kept going as Mark VIs for some years after that.

Broadly speaking:

• Five-digit serials (about 55,200–99,999, 1954–1962): The earliest and scarcest horns, with the strongest collector demand.
• Low-to-mid six-digit serials (100,000s–mid 100,000s, 1962–late ’60s): Very popular with working players.
• Late serials (roughly 1970–1974, 170,000s and up): Still genuine Mark VIs and still great horns, but they usually sell for less than earlier ones.

The serial sets the bracket; condition and originality decide where your horn lands in it.

3. American vs. French (European) Assembly and Engraving

Many U.S.-market Mark VIs were finished and engraved in America; others were finished in France and are often lightly engraved or unengraved. Dealers disagree on how much this matters: some see a real premium for American engraving, others very little. Either way, photograph the bell engraving clearly.

4. Original Lacquer vs. Relacquer

One of the biggest factors. Original lacquer, even worn, is almost always worth more than a relacquer, because refinishing means buffing that softens the engraving. A relacquered Mark VI typically sells for noticeably less than a comparable original-lacquer horn. Not sure which you have? That often takes an experienced eye, so just send clear photos.

5. Overall Condition

Buyers look at cosmetics (dents, scratches, bent key guards, old dent work) and mechanics (does it play, pad age, loose keys, a straight body tube). A horn needing an overhaul sells for less, but don’t pay for repairs before selling: vintage Selmer buyers want originality, and a bad repair can lower value. And skip the Brasso; abrasive polish scratches lacquer.

6. Neck Pull-Down Damage

If a sax is dropped or leaned on while assembled, the neck can bend downward (pull-down). That changes the neck angle and can affect playing. It’s repairable, but it still affects value, which is why we ask for a straight-on side profile photo of the neck.

7. Repairs, Original Neck, and Original Case

• Matching original neck: Mark VI necks are often stamped with a serial number, and a neck that matches the body is a big plus. A replacement neck means a real deduction.
• Past repairs: Big solder repairs, creases near the bow or bell brace, and heavy dent work all bring the price down.
• Original case and accessories: An original case, especially a nice one, helps, mostly on clean collector-grade horns.

How Mark VI Horns Compare in Value

Every Mark VI is valued on its own, but some patterns hold in general:

• By voice: Tenors generally bring the most, followed by altos. Sopranos are usually lower. Baritones sell rarely enough that each one is valued case by case.
• By serial number: Five-digit and other early serials usually bring more than later horns in similar condition. Late serials (roughly 1970–1974) are still real Mark VIs but usually bring less.
• By finish: Original lacquer, even worn, usually brings more than a relacquer.
• By originality: A matching original neck and an original case add appeal. A low A alto, a replacement neck, or major past repairs bring value down.

A quick note on condition: it outweighs everything else on this list. Dents, repairs, a relacquer, pull-down, worn pads, or a replacement neck can put an early, desirable horn below a clean late one.

How to Find and Read Your Serial Number

1. Turn the sax around so you’re looking at the back of the body.
2. Look just below the thumb rest, above the curved bottom bow. You’ll see a stamped block of text that includes “Made in France,” patent numbers, and the serial number.
3. The serial is usually 5 or 6 digits, often with an “M” in front. The long seven-digit numbers nearby are patent numbers, not the serial.
4. Check the neck, too. Many Mark VI necks carry a stamped number; note whether it matches the body.

Tip: on worn lacquer, tilt the horn so light rakes across the stamp. For more help finding and dating serial numbers, see our saxophone serial number guide.

Is It a Real Mark VI? How to Spot a Fake or Copy

The Mark VI’s fame has inspired plenty of copies, including Taiwanese and Chinese horns. Check:

• “Made in France” and “Henri Selmer Paris.” A genuine Mark VI was made in France. If it says Taiwan or China anywhere, it’s not a Selmer Paris.
• Serial number format. Genuine Selmer Paris Mark VI serials are at most six digits, often with an “M” stamped in front (that’s normal). Serials with prefixes like “SAS” or “STS,” or other letters, are red flags. So is a serial outside the Mark VI range.
• The logo. Look for the Henri Selmer Paris logo with laurel leaves. On copies, the leaves, the font, or even some of the words can be off.
• The “S” on the neck octave key. Selmer Paris saxes since the 1950s have an “S” on the neck’s octave key.
• “Selmer USA” isn’t a Mark VI. Selmer-branded student horns made in the U.S. (with markings like Selmer USA, or model numbers like AS500) are different instruments, usually with longer serial numbers.

Not sure? Send clear photos of the serial number, engraving, and neck.

Replacement Value vs. Market Value vs. Cash Offer

If you’ve looked up the Mark VI on Reverb, eBay, or a dealer’s website, you’ve probably seen some encouraging numbers. Most of them are retail asking prices or private-sale prices, and many are for horns that have already been cleaned, repadded, or overhauled, sometimes with a shop warranty.

It helps to think about a saxophone’s value in three tiers:

• Insurance replacement value: the high end, what it would cost to replace the horn at retail, like the top sale prices you see from dealers and on Reverb.
• Market value: what similar horns in similar condition actually sell for between private buyers and sellers.
• Cash offer: what a buyer like Cash4Sax pays up front, with no waiting or risk for you, typically around half of the low end of market value.

Why the gap between market value and a cash offer? A buyer who pays you cash up front is taking on everything that comes after. That includes:

• Repairs, new pads, or a full overhaul
• Marketplace and payment fees
• Packing, insuring, and shipping
• Photos, writing the listing, and answering questions
• Waiting weeks or months for the right buyer
• Returns, damage in transit, and other risks

Every horn is different, so there’s no fixed formula, but knowing these three tiers helps you set realistic expectations.

A quick note on condition: listing prices usually show horns in good to excellent shape. Dents, repairs, a relacquer, pull-down, worn pads, a replacement neck, or no case can put a horn well below those listings, and they lower a cash offer too.

So why sell to a buyer instead of listing it yourself? With Cash4Sax, you get:

• No listing to write or manage
• No haggling or lowball messages
• No scammers or fake payment schemes
• No shipping hassle: we send a prepaid shipping label
• Fast payment by PayPal or Venmo
• Local pickup if you’re in the Jacksonville area

How to Sell Your Selmer Mark VI

Selling on eBay or Reverb means fees, packing and insuring a valuable horn, and buyer questions. Cash4Sax keeps it simple. Brian Seltz at Cash4Sax in Jacksonville, Florida, has been buying used saxophones by mail from sellers nationwide since 2007. Here’s how it works:

1. Send photos and details. Include:
   • A clear side profile of the neck (so we can check for pull-down)
   • A close-up of the serial number
   • Overall photos of the horn
   • A short description of its condition, and whether it has its case (and if it’s the original)
2. Get an offer based on recent sales of comparable horns.
3. Ship it with a prepaid label. We send you a prepaid UPS or USPS shipping label.
4. Get paid by PayPal or Venmo.

In the Jacksonville area? Local pickup is available.

Ready to find out what your Mark VI is worth? Fill out our saxophone evaluation form, email cash4sax@gmail.com, or text photos to 904-472-3130 (text only, please).

Selmer Mark VI FAQ

What years was the Selmer Mark VI made?

Selmer made the Mark VI alto and tenor from 1954 to 1974, when the Mark VII replaced them. Mark VI sopranos and baritones stayed in production for some years after that.

Are five-digit Mark VIs worth more?

Generally, yes. Five-digit horns (made before serial 100,000 in 1962) are the earliest and scarcest, and price guides put them above later horns in similar condition. But condition and originality still matter more than the serial number alone.

Is a relacquered Mark VI still valuable?

Yes, though it usually sells for noticeably less than a comparable original-lacquer horn.

Why is a cash offer lower than Reverb prices?

The top prices you see from dealers and on Reverb are closer to insurance replacement value: they reflect a horn that someone has serviced, photographed, listed, shipped, and paid fees on. Market value is what similar horns in similar condition actually sell for between private buyers and sellers. A cash buyer covers the costs of reselling, plus the wait and the risk, so a cash offer is typically around half of the low end of market value. In exchange, you skip the hassle and get paid quickly.

Should I get my Mark VI overhauled or cleaned before selling?

Usually no. Vintage buyers want originality, and repair costs often aren’t recovered. Avoid abrasive polishes.

How do I get an offer from Cash4Sax?

Fill out the evaluation form with photos, condition, and case info, or email cash4sax@gmail.com.