b'By Jim and Bobbi Jeen Olson,WesternTradingPost.comT he most iconic and collectible firearmsare not all that rare, they are still very in history have arguably been Coltdesirable to collectors because of their pistols. Samuel Colt made his firstplace in history. A model 1911 is another firearm in 1836 and a long-lasting legacy wasexample of a gun that was mass-produced born. A famous saying from the 1800s was,for a very long time, but they sell well God made all men, but Sam Colt made allbecause of their significance and the early men equal.ones can be highly desirable to collectors. Also, a weapon tied to a specific historical The Colt Single Action Army (AKA thecharacter or event is generally highly Colt SAA, manufactured 1873 to present) isdesirable. History pays.an obvious standout in the field, but pretty much any old Colt is desirable somewhereThe last thing we will consider here is in the collector world. There are hundreds ofprice. If condition is everything, then the different models and versions to go after. Butprice is the most important thing (often the no matter which version you are focusingdeciding factor). There are hundreds, even on, savvy collectors tend to put a value onthousands of dollars worth of difference certain things. Here are the top 5 things tofrom firearm to firearm based on some of consider when valuing a collectible firearm.the facts mentioned above. So for a firearm FEED YOUR First would be rarity and popularity. It takesA famous saying from the 1800s was, God made all men,to be highly collectible and demand a big price, it has to be right in every way. a combination of both because not all rareOn the other hand, a lesser quality gun models are popularand not all popularcan become more attractive if it has a models are rare. An example of a rare andlower price point that makes it seem like a desirable handgun would be the Colt Walkerbut Sam Colt made all men equal. bargain. Most savvy collectors however will Revolver. These were made in 1847 and onlytell you to buy the best you can afford and PASSION about 1100 of them were ever made. To this date, the most expensive firearmwork on trading up from there. So dont just price shop, take the other sold was a Colt Walker which brought 1.8 million at auction (even a worn- factors listed above into consideration as well.out one can bring 50k or more). On the other hand, there were also only about 1000 of the Model 1855 Colt Revolving Rifles ever made, but they doA parting thought to consider is its authenticity. There are a lot of guns not command anywhere near the price of a Colt Walkerthey are just not asthat just arent right and even some outright fakes out there. This is desirable to collectors. When collecting for investment, savvy collectors searchespecially true when it comes to items costing several thousands of dollars out rarity, while keeping in mind desirability at the same time. or more. There are people who can take an old worn-out gun and make it look practically new again. Serial numbers are often re-stamped and Next would be the condition. There is a saying which goes, condition isexaggerated stories are told like they are solid provenanceall in the Grown for the Life We Loveeverything. This is especially true when dealing with older and collectiblehopes of moving a lower-end gun into the higher-end price category.items. Old Colts that remain in good condition are highly desirable. A fewSo get an education before purchasing and be sure to deal with a reputable things to consider which can affect a condition score are: Is it original ordealer. Remember, the sting of paying $10k for what should have beenhas it been restored or tampered with? If original, how much finish is left?a $1k gun really hurts.Is it mechanically sound and tight? In the Blue Book of Gun Values an early black powder model 1873 Colt SAA (under serial number 22,000) inHappy collecting! BUY 1, SAVE $2.00 excellent condition books at $35,000 while one in poor condition is worth only a couple thousand dollars. As you can see, the condition makes a huge difference in value. Special or unique features would be another thing to look for. Is it engraved or does it have special grips? If so, by on any bagged or compressed bale product whom? Were they ordered by the factory or done at their direction? If aftermarket, is it period correct? Or modern aftermarket? Does it have a barrel address that was only used for a short period or during a Visit standleeforage.com/coupons to print this oer. transition with the company (such as a London barrel address on an 1849 pocket or 1851 Navy Coupon required at purchase. model)? Or was it inspected by a certain inspector (such as a Colt SAA with an Ainsworth inspection mark)? Or shipped to a certain person or place? There areTop: Colt Walker Revolver, 1847.many little nuances that can meanTo this date, the most expensivehundreds or even thousands of dollarsfirearm sold was a Colt Walker which worth of difference. brought 1.8 million at auction.Bottom: Colt Single Action Army, 1873.Historical significance is another factor that also plays a part in a firearmsIn excellent condition, one books at value. The Colt SAA is iconic because of its place in history. Even though$35,000 while one in poor condition is there were hundreds of thousands of them made over the years and theyworth only a couple thousand dollars.standleeforage.com September 2021 41ArizonaRealCountry.com'