Good Evening Greg,
Well first off let me say that the rod that Tom picked up in the above link is sort of a misnomer, in that it carries a cork grip protector from the old Narmco Conolon Plant in Coasta Mesa California. This facility was moved in December 1960 to a brand new plant in Santa Ana California. At the time of the move, the Narmco Conolon rod Company was spun off of Narmco Research (Jan 61) and a subsidiary Company, "Conolon" was formed. The purpose was for a sale of the rod company to Garcia, which was finalized in late June or early July 1961. The short period of January 61 until Garcia could get decals printed and rubber plugs for the reel seats imprinted with the Garcia logo "G" took a bit of time, so you will see a few rods such as Toms with the Conolon Logo, the Royal Javelin rod is just such a rod. I suspect its mfg date was that first 6 months in Santa Ana California and that the grip plastic and metal rod tube it originally had would still be bearing the Narmco Conolon Costa Mesa details. I have a couple such rods from this period. What sets them apart is that very short lived "Conolon" decal.
As to the model the Custom Made Royal Javelin was the successor to the top of the line Citation series. Early rods like Toms came in three lengths that I know of all two piece rods, a 7 1/2ft, 7ft 10inches, and 8ft. The rods were detailed on a natural finish tobbacco blank just as you see in the above link.
Next in 62 the reel seat was changed to one that had a rubber "G" plug in the reel seat. The decal was changed to read Custom made by Garcia, the model remaining the Royal Javelin.
In 1963 the rod was changed a little in that the natural finished blank was now a marroon painted one, ferrules were changed to Featherweight Sizematic ferrules with rubber O rings, wrap colors changed as well, also the rod lengths were changed, the only two I know of were a two piece 8ft and a three piece 8ft.
Finally as best I know, the series was dropped in favor of the newly introduced (late 63 for 64 release) line of gold five star Companion rods. (three early series of Companion rods, the Gold 5 star, brown 4 star and Blue 3 star were introduced)
In 1965 the production line was again changed, the star system of quality standards dropped for a few years and 5 new grades were introduced, the Custom Rods in deep marron, Deluxe Rods in natural finish early on, Gold, Brown and Blue. When the first Star systems were reintroduced, the Custom Series carried no stars, the Deluxe became the 5 star rods, gold the 4 star, brown the 3 star and Blue the 2 star.
Greg if your rod is a natural tabbacco finish, has a rubber "G" seat plug and the Custom made by Garcia its a 62, if its Marron with featherweight sizematic ferrules with O rings its a 63.
Collector value especially from Conolon Collectors varies, depending on the rods condition, accessaries, these rods were the best at the time and came with metal rod tubes, early ones would be seen with a Cal-Air aluminum tube and screw cap, the cap would be stamped Narmco Conolon Costa Mesa Inside, the same tubes would have a replacement green plastic cap from 62 on, a paper decal on the top of the rod with the Conolon logo for Santa Ana made Garcia rods, finally a different tube design, sort of like a piece of aluminum pipe with the ends rolled and rubber end caps and a Garcia Conolon decal on the side of the tube. for 63, this tube being painted in the same marroon color as the rod. Rod socks varried from the standard blue sometimes with gold edging for the early rods to a standard Garcia Conolon brown cotton flannel with gold or brown edging for 63, the 63 would have a model tag at the top.
This is a post July 1961 8ft 2piece Garcia Royal Javelin, reel seat has black metal end cap, decal in red says "Custom Made by Garcia" #7622 is the rod model #
Its hard to read but thats a "garcia" in red
Typical 63 Royal Javeline, marroon brown blank with copper wraps over black trim, featheweight sizematic ferrules
Some early Royal Javelin's
This one is like Toms, but a 7ft 6 inch model, with original sock and very short run paper tube with Conolon logo only, same plastic grip protector as toms and Conolon hang tags, note the platic Conolon tube cap with logo
note use of left over Citation Series cork reel seat type
Earliest pure Conolon decaling, pre Garcia
Note this is a Super Z nickel steel ferule with full overwrap
typical 1962 Garcia Royal Javelin rod sock detail
1961 real seat butt detail, no "G" late rod, was available before decals and end caps arrived, note these reel seats and rods have the jasper wraps not the Conolon early wraps, this was a Garcia period rod unlike the very early one.
1962 rubber reel seat detail "G"
1963 rubber reel seat plug detail "G"
Richard