Is it engraved or does it have special grips? If so, by 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 of time or during a transition with the company (such as a London barrel address on an 1849 pocket or 1851 Navy 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 are many little nuances which can mean hundreds or even thousands of dollars worth of difference.
Special or unique features would be another thing to look for. As you can see, condition makes a huge difference in value. A few things to consider which can affect a condition score are: Is it original or has it been restored or tampered with? If original, how much finish is left? 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) in excellent condition books at $35,000 while one in poor condition is worth only a couple thousand dollars. Old Colts that remain in good condition are highly desirable. There is a saying which goes, “condition is everything.” This is especially true when dealing with older and collectible items. When collecting for investment, savvy collectors search out rarity, while keeping in mind desirability at the same time. On the other hand, there were also only about 1000 of the Model 1855 Colt Revolving Rifles ever made, but they do not command anywhere near the price of a Colt Walker-they are just not as desirable to collectors. To this date, the most expensive firearm sold was a Colt Walker which brought 1.8 million at auction (even a worn out one can bring 50k or more). These were made in 1847 and only about 1100 of them were ever made. An example of a rare and desirable handgun would be the Colt Walker Revolver. It takes a combination of both because not all rare models are popular-and not all popular models are rare. Here are the top 5 things to consider when valuing a collectible firearm.įirst would be rarity and popularity.
But no matter which version you are focusing on, savvy collectors tend to put value on certain things. There are hundreds of different models and versions to go after. The Colt Single Action Army (AKA the Colt SAA, manufactured 1873 to present) is an obvious standout in the field, but pretty much any old Colt is desirable somewhere in the collector world. A famous saying from the 1800s was, “God made all men, but Sam Colt made all men equal.” Samuel Colt made his first firearm in 1836 and a long-lasting legacy was born. The most iconic and collectible firearms in history have arguably been Colt pistols.
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