We all know the cheap Weider weights.

They are everywhere.

Most also know that Joe Weider was the leading bodybuilding promoter and helped Arnold get started.

What is less known, is that Weider also produced one of the greatest weight sets of all time.

In the 1950s, Andy Jackson’s small operation was making the very best weight set in America.

Leo Stern, a legend in the Iron Game, opened his gym in 1946.

After quickly outgrowing the space, he moved it in 1947 to the second floor of a building in San Diego.

It has been there for 77 years running and it was one of the oldest gyms in America.

Stern was a champion bodybuilder but more importantly a legendary coach and promoter of the sport.

Not long ago, Mars crosshub plates were a complete mystery. 

A few random photos circulated, but little was known about them. Some believed they were from Europe, others thought they originated on the East Coast after a set surfaced there years ago.

I was skeptical for a long time—there was no history to go on, and we couldn’t even date the plates.

I have been obsessed with Milo Barbell globes for some time.

I like Olympic weights as much as the next person, but there’s something to be said about the old-time globe barbells and dumbbells made by the first American strength company in the early 1900s.

Some time back, I acquired a Milo Duplex that belonged to Leo Stern from the legendary collector and historian Osmo Kiiha.

There’s a lot of rumor and gossip that often gets repeated as fact when it comes to Vintage Weights.

I’ve had the best results in discovering the facts by researching original literature and documents, discussing with those who have been around the strength game far longer than I have, and having the weights in my hands.

Nothing replaces having the weights in your hands to observe details and compare and contrast.

It’s easy to get caught up in the obsession of getting more and more Iron.

It never ends and we all tend to suffer from this.

I’ve found it most helpful to cycle on and off to keep the fire burning, but also to stop and appreciate our collections.

Vintage iron is not easy to acquire. It is part of what makes it worthwhile, but also what frustrates many. Every collector has a recurring dream about scoring the big one. The one that starts with a random garage sale , a tip from a friend, or a marketplace ad, and ends with iron gold. Undisturbed, in original condition and complete.

The variation of strength implements encompasses a large spectrum of shapes, materials and function. We’ve seen Indian clubs, circus globes, shot-loaded bells and of course, plate loaded bars in recent times. Focusing for a moment on iron plates, it’s important to discuss the basics. The process starts with a design, continues with the casting and culminates with the machining and finishing.

What are rusty weights worth? The value of anything is relative to its desirability and scarcity. Basic supply and demand. This applies universally to new goods as well as collectibles. Collectibles are generally defined as objects amassed as part of a hobby or as a form of investment. Art and cars are straightforward examples. Stamps and rusty iron less so. So how should old iron be valued? It again boils down to supply and demand.

Condition plays a major role in any industry dealing with collectibles and antiques. Some universal terms are used to describe the physical states of objects, but convey vastly different meanings. For example, Mint Condition (originally only used to classify coins) commonly indicates “perfect condition: a state of being like new.” But a stamp in “perfect condition” doesn’t have the same qualifications as a 45-pound plate in “perfect condition.”