[38snapcaps]

My neighbor has a Pacific Campaign Colt 1911A1 in the original box with the glass top lid. He also has the large WWII history book that was its companion. He thinks he got around 1970.

He would like to sell it to me. What would be a fair offer?

[Preacherman]

I don't think this has much added value as a collector's item. Personally, I'd pay about the same for it as I would for an unfired, NIB Colt Mk. IV Series 70. I might pay a bit extra if the presentation case was really nice, or the book worthwhile, but I'd be buying it as a shooter, not a wallhanger, so I would not be prepared to pay a "collectible" premium on it. YMMV...

[firestar]

Make sure it is really a Colt before you buy. I have seen some Colt commemeratives that were really Norincos!:barf: I have heard some good things about Norincos but I would be pretty mad if I thought I was getting a Colt and it turned out to be a China gun.:what:

[BigG]

That model is a pre-70 series model 1911A1 Colt. They run somewhere around $800, IIRC. Somebody will check the blue book for you.

[Johnny Guest]

Colt put out a few "Event" and "Statehood" commeratives some years ago. The first of their "Series" commems I recall were the WW-I pistols, reproductions of the old 1911-types, dedicated to four major battles. The very next ones were the WW-II pair, one each for the European and Pacific Theatres of Operations.

These were very nice presentations, with appropriate boxes, maps, and some with books. If a person got all four WW-I pistols with the same aerial numbers, of both WW-II, ditto, they are a nice ensemble for display. And, unlike some issues from other companies, the Colts were fully functional, shooting, firearms.

I know of one, WW-I commerative regularly shot and carried for a time. Original purchaser let it become seriously water damaged, ruining any collector value. A friend of mine bought it for a shooter, and carried it for a while. He later had it properly hand engraved, obscuring the commerative markings, except for the serial number.

Agree with Preacherman - - - I would value the piece just as I would a similar-condition, non-commerative piece. At this late date, chances of locating the OTHER WW-II commem with matching serial number would be pretty slim. OTOH, the Cherry's people have a sideline of helping people locate particular S/N commems. Stranger things have happened.

Best,
Johnny