Price Check? (Matching Series 70 Colt 1911's)

[kd7nqb]

A buddy of mine in work showed me his "most prized safe queen", which is a pair of matching Series 70 1911's in .45acp, they are in a hardwood and velvet presentation case. They have ivory grips and are finished in Hard Chrome. They also have sequencial serial numbers. These guns have only been handed by him while wearing white gloves and only fired at the factory one round. Thats all the specifics I know but I think that should be enough. He was mentioning to me that when they were given to him in 1978 they were valued at about 10k I assume that these guns have gained much value since then. Is there even a way to make a guess at what they would be worth now? Anyone know of similar sets being sold online?

 

[Harry Paget Flashman]

I am no expert but $10K sounds pretty steep. Without the presentation case, ivory grips and hard chrome(nice, but if it was added "after market" then it might even decrease their collectors value for unfired, NIB guns) they'd probably bluebook at around $1k each if sold separately.

It'd help to have pictures and to known if they were commemoratives. I paid $800 for a used hard chromed Gold Cup National Match Series 70 in very good condition a couple of years ago. I wouldn't have paid $1000 for it.

 

[230RN]

Just numbers, but maybe a start

$39,201.29.

Assuming:

1. Original valuation was correct

2. Original valuation included the consecutive serial numbers, case (however obtained), other amenities in their present state.

3. Linear increase of 5% per year (0.05 "appreciation rate" factor).

Challenge the assumptions, not the resulting number.

Method:

Original appraisal X ((1 + appreciation rate) ^ (2006-1978))

$10,000 X ((1.05) ^ 28) = $39,201.29

(This is a transposition of the standard amortization formula.)

 

[kd7nqb]

Thank you very much, tonight I work with him again and will try and get more info. I dont know where the 10k number came from, is was something he told me but they were a gift so I doubt he had an invoice.

 

[230RN]

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[Justin]

The quickest way to get an answer is to post your question in the correct forum, with a title that is as descriptive as possible. Just putting "Price Check?" Doesn't really do much good, as you could be asking for a pricecheck on anything from a bore snake to a .50 BMG with all the trimmings.

 

[230RN]

With all due respect, Justin, the question actually was, "Is there even a way to make a guess at what they would be worth now?" and the querent was not asking for a specific price.

The answer I gave was a general method, given the minimal data provided, and using certain assumptions for determining a starting point for Present Value*. (Even though the result was down to the penny as a mathematical result.)

I believe you will agree that this was a pretty quick answer to the question as posed.

I therefore believe the original post was appropriate to the "General" forum.

For myself, I would like to hear more about this set, especially since I was always interested in arms sets with sequential serial numbers.

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* "Present Value" is an accepted and common economic/financial term.