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Best Pens of All Time (2027): 10 Icons Since 1941

By · Updated · 7 min read

Compiled from 35 sources; we haven't tested these products ourselves yet. How we research

Quick answer

On documented evidence, the BIC Cristal is the greatest pen of all time: launched in December 1950, it passed 100 billion sold in the mid-2000s, the basis of its best-selling-pen title. The Parker 51, Parker Jotter, Montblanc 149, Pentel Sign Pen and Fisher Space Pen complete the core of our ten icons, and all ten are sold today.

On this page10 sections
Lineup of ten classic pens standing tip down in launch-year order: Parker 51 (1941), BIC Cristal (1950), Montblanc Meisterstück 149 (1952), Parker Jotter (1954), Pentel Sign Pen (1963), Fisher Space Pen AG7 (1965), Paper Mate Flair (1966), LAMY safari (1980), Sakura Pigma Micron (1982) and Pilot G2 (1997)
The ten picks closed, in launch-year order. Drawn in proportion, since not every maker publishes a length.

Products compared

ProductBrand originMade inPrice range
Parker 51 fountain penParkerUnited StatesFrance*Price range: $$$$
BIC Cristal ballpoint penBICFranceMexico*Price range: $
Montblanc Meisterstück 149 fountain penMontblancGermanyGermany*Price range: $$$$
Parker Jotter Stainless Steel CT ballpoint penParkerUnited StatesFrance*Price range: $$$
Pentel Sign Pen (S520)PentelJapanJapan*Price range: $
Fisher Space Pen AG7 Original Astronaut Space PenFisher Space PenUnited StatesUnited States*Price range: $$$
Paper Mate Flair felt tip penPaper MateUnited StatesMexico*Price range: $
LAMY safari fountain penLAMYGermanyGermany*Price range: $$$
Sakura Pigma Micron penSakuraJapanJapan*Price range: $
Pilot G2 retractable gel penPilotJapanJapan*Price range: $
Notes on these facts
  • Parker 51 fountain pen: Made by Parker Pen Company (part of Newell Brands). Made in France: Goldspot lists the 2021 Parker 51 fountain pen as made in France; Unsharpen gives Germany, and a Galaxus listing gives China for the 51 ballpoint. We use Goldspot's figure for the fountain pen; check the box. Parker was founded in Janesville, Wisconsin, in 1888. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Collector sources date the retail launch to January 1941; the name marks Parker's 51st year, given as 1939 by some sources. The original ended in 1972 and Parker reissued a reimagined 51 in February 2021.
  • BIC Cristal ballpoint pen: Made by Société BIC (France); sold in the US by BIC Corporation. Made in Mexico: BIC's French 75th-anniversary press kit (2025) says the Cristal is still made in BIC's own factories in France, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa, on machines BIC designs. For US packs, a Stop & Shop listing for a blue Cristal Xtra Smooth 10-pack gives Mexico, as did distributor listings for MS11 black and red (Aztek, Dealer Commander). European packs of the Cristal Original have been listed as made in France (Farnell). Check the pack. Source. Price: example listing.
  • Montblanc Meisterstück 149 fountain pen: Made in Germany: per an authorised Montblanc retailer's listing for reference 132105 (country of manufacture Germany); vintage 149s are marked W.-Germany. Montblanc's own page doesn't state it in the sources we found. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Robb Report and Inkstable date the 149 to 1952; the Meisterstück line itself dates to 1924.
  • Parker Jotter Stainless Steel CT ballpoint pen: Made by Parker Pen Company (part of Newell Brands). Made in France: Sainsbury's lists France as the country of origin for the stainless steel Jotter, and Bruneau (Belgium), PartsSource and Galaxus also give France. Wikipedia says production moved from Newhaven, England, to Nantes, France, after Parker closed its English factory late in 2010. Source. Price: example listing.
  • Pentel Sign Pen (S520): Made by ASTRUM Corporation (Tokyo), called Pentel Co., Ltd. until April 1, 2026; Pentel remains the brand. Made in Japan: Pentel of America's 2023–2024 product guide gives the S520's origin as Japan. Retailer spec sheets agree: Officeworks (Australia) lists Japan as the country of manufacture for the black 12-pack (S520-A) and the assorted 6-pack, Brock's Compass (UK) lists Japan for the red S520-B, and Aztek (US) lists Japan for the black S520A dozen. Digitec (Switzerland) lists China for the violet S520-V, so origin may vary by color or market. Pentel's Japanese product page doesn't state it. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Pentel's Japanese product page and design archive both give 1963.
  • Fisher Space Pen AG7 Original Astronaut Space Pen: Made in United States: GP Knives lists the country of origin as the USA, and Primer Peak says Fisher pens are made in Boulder City, Nevada. We couldn't reach Fisher's own site. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Patent filed May 19, 1965 and granted November 15, 1966 (US 3,285,228); first flown on Apollo 7, launched October 11, 1968.
  • Paper Mate Flair felt tip pen: Made by Newell Brands. Made in Mexico: Giant Food Stores' listing for the Medium black 2-pack says Made in Mexico. Distributors ADI Global (noting origin is subject to change) and OnTimeSupplies also list Mexico. Paper Mate's own site blocked our reader, so we couldn't check it there. Source. Price: example listing.
  • LAMY safari fountain pen: Made by C. Josef Lamy GmbH, Heidelberg (part of Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.). Made in Germany: LAMY's own product listing (India storefront) gives Germany as the country of origin and names C. Josef Lamy GmbH, Heidelberg, as the manufacturer, and also says made in Germany. LAMY's German page names no country. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Museum Boijmans and LAMY's India listing give 1980; LAMY's German page says the safari was introduced in the 1980s.
  • Sakura Pigma Micron pen: Made by Sakura Color Products Corporation (Osaka); sold in the US by Sakura of America. Made in Japan: Unsharpen gives Japan as the country of origin (read October 20, 2026). Sakura's Japanese product page for the Pigma 01 doesn't state a country. Digitec and Galaxus (Switzerland), cited earlier for Japan, blocked our access on that date. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Sakura's Japanese Pigma page says it developed Pigma, the first water-based pigment marker, in 1982; Wikipedia agrees. We found no separate Sakura date for the Micron name.
  • Pilot G2 retractable gel pen: Made by Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America. Made in Japan: per US retailer spec sheets (Stop & Shop, OnTimeSupplies for item 31171). Some grocery listings for a 4-pack say "Japan, USA", so origin may vary by pack. Pilot's US site doesn't state it in the sources we found. Source. Price: example listing.
  • Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.

Key takeaways

  • BIC announced its 100 billionth disposable ballpoint in 2005, and BIC says the Cristal has sold about 57 pens a second since 1950.
  • Collector sources say the Parker 51 sold about 20 million pens between 1941 and 1972; Parker brought it back in a reimagined form in February 2021.
  • The Parker Jotter has sold more than 750 million units since 1954, according to widely repeated (but unaudited) figures.
  • Paul Fisher filed the patent for the AG7 anti-gravity pen on May 19, 1965, and it flew on Apollo 7 in October 1968.
  • Six of the ten have been made continuously for more than 50 years; the Parker 51 is the only one with a 49-year gap.

What are the best pens of all time?

On documented evidence (units sold, years in production and genuine firsts), the BIC Cristal is the best pen of all time, and nine more classics each hold a record of their own. We judged history, not handwriting feel: picks are based on published specs and maker claims; we haven’t tested them yet.

  • Best overall (most sold): BIC Cristal. Launched in December 1950; BIC announced its 100 billionth disposable ballpoint in 2005.
  • Best fountain pen icon: Parker 51. About 20 million sold from 1941 to 1972, per collector sources, and back in production since 2021.
  • Best luxury pen: Montblanc Meisterstück 149. An oversize piston-filler made since 1952, 147.3 mm (5.8 in) long per Montblanc.
  • Best refillable ballpoint: Parker Jotter. More than 750 million sold since 1954, per widely repeated figures.
  • Best fiber-tip pen: Pentel Sign Pen. Launched in 1963; ITmedia reported 2.1 billion sold in over 100 countries by 2017.
  • Best extreme-conditions pen: Fisher Space Pen AG7. Patented in 1965 and flown on Apollo 7 in 1968.
  • Best American felt tip: Paper Mate Flair. Sold since 1966 and still a top Amazon seller, per ASINsight estimates.
  • Best design icon: LAMY safari. Designed in 1980 by Wolfgang Fabian and held by Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen.
  • Best archival drawing pen: Sakura Pigma Micron. Part of Sakura’s Pigma pigment-ink line, launched in 1982.
  • Best modern gel pen: Pilot G2. Sold since 1997; Pilot USA calls G2 America’s No. 1 selling gel ink pen brand, citing Circana dollar sales (older packaging cites NPD).

How do the ten pens compare?

Sorted by launch year, the list spans 56 years, from the 1941 Parker 51 to the 1997 Pilot G2.

Year Pen Why it’s on the list Still worth buying today? Band
1941 Parker 51 About 20 million sold by 1972 (collector sources) Yes, if you want the shape; the 2021 edition has a screw cap and cartridges $$$$
1950 BIC Cristal 100 billionth BIC ballpoint announced in 2005; in MoMA’s collection Yes: cheap, everywhere, unchanged $
1952 Montblanc 149 Made for over 70 years; Adenauer offered his to Kennedy in 1963 Only as a lifetime pen; it’s the priciest here $$$$
1954 Parker Jotter 750 million+ sold, per widely repeated figures Yes: the cheapest metal classic, standard refill $$$
1963 Pentel Sign Pen 2.1 billion sold in 100+ countries (ITmedia, 2017) Yes, for notes and signing $
1965 Fisher Space Pen AG7 Patent filed May 19, 1965; Apollo 7, 1968 Yes, if you write outdoors or upside down $$$
1966 Paper Mate Flair Paper Mate’s felt-tip debut, design kept since Yes, for color-coded notes $
1980 LAMY safari 1980 design in a museum collection, never out of production Yes: a first fountain pen $$$
1982 Sakura Pigma Micron Pigma line launched 1982 Yes, for drawing and archival notes $
1997 Pilot G2 Pilot’s No. 1 US gel ink pen brand claim (Circana) Yes: the default US gel pen $

Launch years come from makers where possible, otherwise from collector histories; see Notes on these facts. Units-sold figures are maker or press figures, not audited data.

What is the best-selling pen of all time?

The BIC Cristal, by a wide margin. BIC announced its 100 billionth disposable ballpoint in 2005, and BIC says the Cristal has sold about 57 pens a second since 1950.

You’ll often read that Guinness World Records lists it as the best-selling pen. We couldn’t find that entry, so we credit the figures to BIC. The next-largest published numbers are far smaller: 2.1 billion Pentel Sign Pens and 750 million Parker Jotters.

Which pen changed writing the most?

The BIC Cristal made the ballpoint disposable and cheap enough for everyone, which ended the fountain pen’s role as the default everyday pen. BIC’s 60th-anniversary release says the pen sold about 10,000 a day in its first year, 1950.

Two later firsts matter too. The 1963 Pentel Sign Pen, the oldest fiber-tip pen here, sold in the billions, and Pentel says it flew on a NASA Gemini mission in 1966. The Fisher AG7’s pressurized cartridge made writing in zero gravity routine; NASA’s Spinoff site says Apollo 7’s Walter Schirra floated one on live TV in October 1968.

On the Space Pen myth, Scientific American reports that Paul Fisher paid for development himself and NASA simply bought the pens.

Which classic pens are still made today?

All ten are on sale in 2026, and nine have never left production; the Parker 51 is the exception.

Pen Production
Parker 51 1941–1972, reimagined edition since February 2021
BIC Cristal, Montblanc 149, Parker Jotter Continuous since 1950, 1952 and 1954
Pentel Sign Pen, Fisher AG7, Paper Mate Flair Continuous since 1963, 1965–68 and 1966
LAMY safari, Pigma Micron, Pilot G2 Continuous since 1980, 1982 and 1997

“Continuous” doesn’t mean unchanged. The Jotter’s first barrels were nylon, and the 2021 Parker 51 swaps the original slip-on cap for a screw cap, per Parker’s own launch release.

Which pens almost made the list?

The uni-ball Jetstream, Pilot Vanishing Point, Sheaffer Snorkel and Pelikan Souverän M800 came closest. We left them out because we couldn’t find documented sales or firsts as strong as the ten above. The Jetstream, from 2006, may earn a place as its history lengthens.

Where are these pens made?

Three are made in Japan, two each in France, Germany and Mexico, and one in the United States, per makers and retailer spec sheets. Of the four American brands, only Fisher makes its pen in the US; Parker builds the Jotter and 51 in France, and Paper Mate makes the Flair in Mexico.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most popular pen in the world?

By units sold, the BIC Cristal. BIC announced its 100 billionth disposable ballpoint in 2005, and the Cristal is generally described as the best-selling pen ever. No other pen has a published figure in the same range.

Is the BIC Cristal in the Guinness World Records?

It is often said to be, but we couldn't find a Guinness World Records entry that confirms a best-selling-pen record. The figures behind the claim, such as 100 billion pens and 57 a second, come from BIC.

What is the most famous fountain pen ever made?

The Parker 51 and the Montblanc Meisterstück 149 are the two usual answers. The 51 is the volume icon, with about 20 million sold from 1941 to 1972 per collectors; the 149, from 1952, is the luxury icon still made today.

Did NASA spend millions developing the Space Pen?

No. Scientific American reports that Paul Fisher developed the pressurized pen with his own money and NASA bought it afterward. It first flew on Apollo 7 in October 1968.

How many Parker Jotters have been sold?

More than 750 million since 1954, according to Wikipedia and pen retailers that repeat the figure. We haven't seen a Parker document that confirms it, so treat it as an estimate.

Which came first, the Pentel Sign Pen or the Paper Mate Flair?

The Pentel Sign Pen, launched in Japan in 1963. Paper Mate's Flair, the brand's felt-tip debut, followed in the US in 1966. Both are still made, and both are capped pens with water-based ink.

Which classic pen is still worth buying today?

For everyday use, the cheap ones: a BIC Cristal, Pentel Sign Pen or Pilot G2 costs little and is unchanged in spirit. For a pen to keep, the Parker Jotter or LAMY safari is the most affordable classic.

Sources (35)

  1. BIC: 60 years of the BIC Cristal (press release, December 10, 2010)
  2. NBC News: Disposable ballpoint writes its way into history (100 billionth BIC, 2005)
  3. Wikipedia: Bic Cristal (best-selling pen; 100 billionth in September 2006; MoMA collection)
  4. MoMA: BIC Cristal ballpoint pen in the collection
  5. Parker: A 20th century classic reimagined (Parker 51, February 2021)
  6. Wikipedia: Parker 51 (produced until 1972)
  7. Parkerpens.net: Parker 51 (over 20 million sold)
  8. Inkstable: Parker 51, a prominent place in fountain pen history (close to 20 million over about 30 years)
  9. Goldspot: Parker 51 fountain pen, black with chrome trim (141 mm closed, 152.5 mm posted, made in France)
  10. Montblanc: Meisterstück platinum-coated 149 fountain pen, MB132105 (147.3 × 17.3 mm)
  11. Robb Report: Why the Montblanc Meisterstück is still an icon after 100 years (149 introduced 1952, piston filler)
  12. Inkstable: The power of 9 (Montblanc 149, Adenauer and Kennedy, 1963)
  13. Swisswatches Magazine: 100 years of Montblanc Meisterstück
  14. Iguanasell: Montblanc Meisterstück 149 platinum fountain pen 132105 (country of manufacture Germany)
  15. Wikipedia: Parker Jotter (1954; over 750 million sold; T-Ball textured tip)
  16. Phidon Pens: Everything you need to know about the Parker Jotter
  17. Parkerpens.net: Parker Jotter history (1954 nylon barrels, plastic by 1955)
  18. Sainsbury's: Parker Jotter stainless steel ball pen (country of origin France)
  19. Bruneau: Parker Jotter stainless steel GT ballpoint (made in France)
  20. G. Edward: Parker Jotter ballpoint pen 775819 (129 mm)
  21. Pentel UK: Pentel celebrates 80 years of success in writing (Sign Pen 1963, Gemini 1966)
  22. ITmedia (Japanese): Why Pentel's Sign Pen is easy to write with (2.1 billion in 100+ countries)
  23. Science Museum Group: Fisher Space Pen, model AG7 (patent 3,285,228, Anti-Gravity Pen)
  24. NASA Spinoff: Space pens (Apollo 7, Walter Schirra, October 1968)
  25. ASI Central: Fisher Space Pen celebrates 50 years in space (Apollo 7, October 11, 1968)
  26. Scientific American: Fact or fiction? NASA spent millions to develop a pen that would write in space
  27. GP Knives: Fisher Space Pen Original Astronaut Space Pen, chrome AG7 (country of origin USA)
  28. DLT Trading: Fisher Space Pen Astronaut pen, chrome (5.11 in, 1.10 oz)
  29. Primer Peak: Fisher Space Pen review (made in Boulder City, Nevada)
  30. Paper Mate: About us (Flair felt tip debut)
  31. ASINsight: Best-selling Paper Mate Flair pens on Amazon (sales estimates, July 2026)
  32. Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen: Safari (1980, Wolfgang Fabian)
  33. Wikipedia: Sakura Color Products Corporation (Pigma 1982)
  34. Pilot Pen UK: Gel ink pens (G-2 "the original since 1997")
  35. Stop & Shop: Pilot G2 Fine Black 0.7 mm (No. 1 selling gel ink brand claim, NPD 2021)

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