What is your guys take on the commemorative guns regarding resale? My local gun shops tell me they are slow movers on resale but I for one don't fully understand why. I had a nearly NIB Texas Ranger set with the knife in a presentation case and I was told it would be "dead inventory" for awhile because of it being a commemorative. The gun and knife were never used and had absolutely no signs of wear. They were both pristine.It caught my eye and I can't understand why it wouldn't catch someone else's. Thoughts???
commemorative guns
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Zaydok Allen
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Personally I feel commemorative guns are over done and lame, and typically pretty hideous to the eye. I would never buy one unless all it had was a little emblem on it or something, and I sure wouldn't pay more than a stock model. If I did buy one, I'd shoot like it was any other gun.
Just my take on them. I'm sure some folks like them.
Just my take on them. I'm sure some folks like them.
When I think of commemorative anything I think of Franklin Mint.
Guns are tools. I've never seen a commemorative hammer or commemorative crescent wrench.
Guns are tools. I've never seen a commemorative hammer or commemorative crescent wrench.
LoneGoose
Member
From what I've read: Commemorative guns used to be fine works of art and in very limited quantities. Those have increased in value. The current crop of commemorative guns are less than art. Thin gold plating where there would be gold inlay, laser engraving where there would be hand engraving, factory workmanship where there would be hand-tuning and fitting. Many instead of few. Thus, you get minimal maker's cost and high markup on something not-so-unique and not-so-valuable.
This is not my opinion, it is a summary of what I've read in reputable publications. Please, no one take offense; consider that any object's value is what you place on it.
I have overpaid for a revolver - but it is a sweet honey of a gun. And it is out of production. I hold that gun in high value.
Your question will probably get a lot of replies!
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Plan2Live, you just gave me a great idea: I'm going to engrave my brass hammer!
This is not my opinion, it is a summary of what I've read in reputable publications. Please, no one take offense; consider that any object's value is what you place on it.
I have overpaid for a revolver - but it is a sweet honey of a gun. And it is out of production. I hold that gun in high value.
Your question will probably get a lot of replies!
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Plan2Live, you just gave me a great idea: I'm going to engrave my brass hammer!
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You cant ever shoot them. For them to retain any extra commemorative value it may have had, it had better be NIB. Otherwise even used the price drops below a used normal model. Which i dont really understand, but is my experience in the real world. And thats the problem with anything thats collectable. Now-a-days folks collect everything, and they know to keep commemoratives in the box. 100 years ago people bought stuff and used it. Which is why older stuff is considerably more expensive then the new stuff will be 100 years from now.
BSA1
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"A nearly NIB commemorative" is a used gun and it's value is how good of a shooter it is. Manufacturers are well-known to cut corners on how well the gun is made and shoot as it is made to be admired and never shot. Of course they are over-hyped so they will sell.
Another issue is how small of market there is for your gun. First the buyer would need to be interested in the Old West, then a special interest in the Texas Rangers. This is followed by was the gun the type ever used by the Rangers. The knife was probably never a standard issued item.
If the gun and knife mean so much to you why are you wanting to sell them?
Another issue is how small of market there is for your gun. First the buyer would need to be interested in the Old West, then a special interest in the Texas Rangers. This is followed by was the gun the type ever used by the Rangers. The knife was probably never a standard issued item.
If the gun and knife mean so much to you why are you wanting to sell them?
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243winxb
Member
Not a good investment, as most dont appreciate , even after 10 years. Dealers know what the wholesale cost was, a lot less then retail. After sold at retail, its still used, even if unfired. Sorry.
I'm not interested in commemorative guns that left the factory as plain models, then were dressed up by some third party.
I do think some of the commemorative guns from days long gone were done well, with hand cut engravings, real gold inlay, but that's not my thing.
These days the work done on such guns seems to be, as was mentioned, of poor quality and cranked out "commemorative" production instead of finely customized guns.
Now I do have a soft spot for guns that left the factory as commemorative pieces.
I only have one, a Chicago P.D. commemorative 66-1, stamped at the factory with a special shield. Its been shot quiet a bit, and I wouldn't pay more for one over a plain model, but its still kind of neat to me.
I do think some of the commemorative guns from days long gone were done well, with hand cut engravings, real gold inlay, but that's not my thing.
These days the work done on such guns seems to be, as was mentioned, of poor quality and cranked out "commemorative" production instead of finely customized guns.
Now I do have a soft spot for guns that left the factory as commemorative pieces.
I only have one, a Chicago P.D. commemorative 66-1, stamped at the factory with a special shield. Its been shot quiet a bit, and I wouldn't pay more for one over a plain model, but its still kind of neat to me.
A friend shoots a real factory issue Colt commemorative SAA.
It was less expensive than a plain Blue/CH gun.
It was less expensive than a plain Blue/CH gun.
Thanks for your insights. Definitely things to consider when looking at these models. As for BSA1's question about the Texas Ranger set, I have already sold it. There was no real attachment to it just wondering why the local shops viewed it the way they did---now I have an understanding as to why.
The Texas Ranger set is one of the few commemoratives that sell for more than the standard unengraved gun. Most don't. The worst sellers are "Nowhere Police Department" commemoratives* made for sale by a local police benefit association. Outside Nowhere, they not only have no special value, but actually sell for a lot less than the plain gun.
*Not to be confused with factory marked police issue guns, for which there is a significant collector's market.
Jim
*Not to be confused with factory marked police issue guns, for which there is a significant collector's market.
Jim
CountGlockula
Member
OK, I've got a commemorative that means a lot to me, for other reasons.
It's a Colt (1980 Series) .45 ACP, 200th Anniversary of The Springfield Armory.
It has a deep blue finish, with gold accents and Rosewood grips, NIB.
I've tried to find it in an old Blue Book and other sources, but no mention.
Saw one on GunsAmerica for twice the price paid.
Not thinking about selling or trading it, but wonder about the fair market value, and any other info. I think only a limited number (500 or 1,000) were made.
Any more info guys ?
It's a Colt (1980 Series) .45 ACP, 200th Anniversary of The Springfield Armory.
It has a deep blue finish, with gold accents and Rosewood grips, NIB.
I've tried to find it in an old Blue Book and other sources, but no mention.
Saw one on GunsAmerica for twice the price paid.
Not thinking about selling or trading it, but wonder about the fair market value, and any other info. I think only a limited number (500 or 1,000) were made.
Any more info guys ?
WestKentucky
Member
I have had exactly 2 in the several years that I traded a lot. One was a colt new frontier Kansas bicentennial or some such foolishness. Cased gun really nice case, gun was worn down to bare metal from riding in a holster. I stripped the gold crap off, reblued it, and sent it on its way without the box that my repopped Paterson was in for a long time (also stripped of the Kansas crap)...Jayhawks are wildcat food anyway...the other was a unit gun from some pretty obscure medivac unit attached to the 101st. It had some neat markings on it in duracoat or some other gun paint. That one moved really quickly. I put it up (unintentional timing) when a few wounded in action came home early. One of those guys basically told me that he was buying it at any price because those guys pulled him out of the pits of hell. I immediately cut my asking price by 100 bucks and had the wounded soldier meet me at a steakhouse so I could buy him dinner and a beer.
My point in posting these two stories is to illustrate that to some the commemorative may not mean diddly squat. I would expect the "swamp people 10-22" and such guns to fit the bill here. To others certain guns mean the world. You have to have the right buyer for it to make sense. If it's not the right buyer then they will say this "special" gun will be devalued by use so they avoid them. I won't buy one in the future, unless it has some special meaning...even then it's just a gun with something fancy on it.
My point in posting these two stories is to illustrate that to some the commemorative may not mean diddly squat. I would expect the "swamp people 10-22" and such guns to fit the bill here. To others certain guns mean the world. You have to have the right buyer for it to make sense. If it's not the right buyer then they will say this "special" gun will be devalued by use so they avoid them. I won't buy one in the future, unless it has some special meaning...even then it's just a gun with something fancy on it.
Twiki357
Member
I don’t really care if a gun is a commemorative or not, I’ll buy it as a shooter. I have one, a model 66-1 that’s a 50 year Az HP commemorative in a walnut presentation box. I like the commemorative aspect of it, but it’s a shooter. Besides the rosewood presentation stocks, the seller had a set of rubber grips for it. The best part is that I bought it for less than what a plain jane shooter was selling for.
Not to hijack the thread, but there are many such tools and collectors vie for them. Stanley and others made them for the trade.
Kevin
bannockburn
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One of the biggest problems with commemorative guns, besides the fact that you can never shoot them without ruining their resale value, is that the market has long been over saturated with them. There are a few that I think are still worth having, like the Colt WWI M1911 four gun set, Colt's WWII M1911A1 ETO/PTO two gun set, and Colt's SAA Centennial two gun set. Other than that the closest I would get to a commemorative gun these days is this Colt Government:
LoneGoose
Member
I have no use for any commemorative guns. When I go to a gun shop, I'm going to buy a gun that I can shoot. I suspect this is the root of your LGS's idea that they are slow movers. I'd be willing to bet that most people feel the same way.
As bannockburn noted, the market is flooded with them anyway, so there really is no special value to most of them. Most of the ones I've seen are pretty hideous, too. Way, way overdone.
As bannockburn noted, the market is flooded with them anyway, so there really is no special value to most of them. Most of the ones I've seen are pretty hideous, too. Way, way overdone.
I'm sure someone has a use for a commemorative gun, but it's not me. I think I have a commemorative .22 rifle in my safe somewhere, but I'll have to go look. I'm pretty sure that I horse-traded for it. It also wasn't kept in particularly good shape, so the collector's value is already ruined. That being the case, I'm going to replace the stock, clean it up, and shoot the ever-loving snot out of it.
$20 worth of gaudy "enhancements", the word "Commemorative" somewhere and a price tag that's twice the usual for whatever gun it is. Seems spectacularly low value to me.
The local shops are looking for a deal. I agree with most of the responses here about commemoratives usually not bringing a premium, but the one you asked about is different. I hope you did not take a lowball offer because the last complete one I saw sold on GB brought $2650. BTW, they were offered in 2 options - Deluxe engraved and Standard. The $2650 auction was for the standard. The deluxe engraved brings big money! JMHO.
I collected some colt .22 saa commeratives, after about 5 years, ended up selling for less then I paid, not a good investment
Zaydok Allen
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The ones in the NRA's publications are always my favorite, because they look like they came out of a vending machine with the grabber claw.
Chuck Norris in cheesy gold imagery? Really?
Chuck Norris in cheesy gold imagery? Really?
huntsman
Member
An old timer picker/antique dealer once told me; things that are made to be collectable usually aren't worth collecting.
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