It is a fact that the 5508 is not winning the comparison with the 5512 / 13, at least for the last years...
And I never got why the Small Crowns are less appreciated than the 5512 / 13.
Since my interest for your article.
I totally agree with you that the Small Crowns are perceived as a kind of Boxter, and that the Big Crowns are the 911.... Even though it is hard to be sure that the small crown was not born before the big crown... In that case, it may be the 911.
If we compare the prodcution years, we may safely think that the small crowns are way much rarer than the 5512 / 13, even gilt. ( Gilt 5512 / 13 were in production from 1960 to 1966, no? ) While you have 4 references for the small crown ( the 5508 may be the less rare of them ).
By the way, one question: Are you sure that the 5508 was discontinued in 1961? My feeling was that it was discontinued in 1962, and if I remember well, Marcello once wrote that it was discontinued even a bit later....
I think that there is, currently, a hype for the 5512 / 13 Gilt. Maybe because of its bigger and thicker case?
I, for one, prefer the no crown guard Subs... Which doesn't mean that I cannot appreciate a very nice 5512 / 13 Gilt.
But I will always favour the no crownguard Subs... Which belonged to a bygone era.
Best, my friend.
Nicolas