Inheritance: 1951 Colt Comander

[csheehy]

My best friend's father-in-law recently passed (great guy, btw) and said friend recently learned he is inheriting the following:

1951 Colt Commander .45ACP (all original AFAIK, and meticulously maintained)
Original box in very good condition-no wrinkles, scuffs, frayed edges, etc.
Original sales receipt, dated 1951 from store in NJ
Colt fold out brochure with various models depicted

Just looking for a ballpark figure on value.

Thanks in advance.

CJS

[psalms144.1]

Um, PRICELESS? Unless your friend is a died in the wool anti-gunner, why would he want to know the value of an heirloom like that?

The condition of the packaging is moot, IMHO - it's a gun, not a comic book. Likewise the receipt has no collector value.

[JHC]

I'm supposing he want's to be sure he has it insured to the correct value. A few years ago a Colt collector was describing to me a Colt Government Model from the '60's in this same immaculate condition, box, papers etc that you describe and figured it to be "worth" $3K.

I have no frame of reference on such stuff.

[LSP972]

The condition of the packaging is moot, IMHO - it's a gun, not a comic book. Likewise the receipt has no collector value.

Disagree; stuff like that is quite important to serious collectors… falls under the heading of "provenance".

However, I agree 100% with why would the guy want to sell such an heirloom.

OP, if he really doesn't want it, buy him a new set of golf clubs or something similarly yuppie-ish, trade him for that truly priceless artifact, and flip it here or the 1911 Forum, etc.

Seriously.

.

[csheehy]

psalms & JHC: Nope. Not an anti-gunner, he owned a revolver in college, sold it years later--probably to pay bills. Just never had a chance to get back into it. And I agree he should insure it, just like an antique or piece of expensive jewelry.

No intention of selling it, in fact he wants to shoot it! As I agree it is an heirloom I'm leery of him doing that...

Mainly curiousity to see what it is worth. I found a .38 Super version on Gunbroker for a little over $1K.

Thanks for the replies.

CJS

[olstyn]

No intention of selling it, in fact he wants to shoot it! As I agree it is an heirloom I'm leery of him doing that...

Presuming it's in proper working condition and has been shot before, what's wrong with shooting it some more? Sure, it's a collectible item, but unless it's in pristine, unfired condition now, is there actually any danger of it losing value? I mean, sure, he might not want to make it his primary training/competition gun, but occasionally running a box or two through it seems like a good way to remember the person he inherited it from.

[HCM]

Presuming it's in proper working condition and has been shot before, what's wrong with shooting it some more? Sure, it's a collectible item, but unless it's in pristine, unfired condition now, is there actually any danger of it losing value? I mean, sure, he might not want to make it his primary training/competition gun, but occasionally running a box or two through it seems like a good way to remember the person he inherited it from.

This ^^^^. We recently shot my old partners Grand Fathers old carry gun, a 1935 vintage Colt Super 38 national match. It shot very well but he wants to keep it as a "house gun". I'm trying to convince him to put it away in a safe place and get a Blue label / PD trade Glock for house duty.

[qwiksdraw]

Sure a pristine gun has a dollar value,while Grand-dad's well-worn, favorite shooter is priceless.

[farscott]

My best friend's father-in-law recently passed (great guy, btw) and said friend recently learned he is inheriting the following:

1951 Colt Commander .45ACP (all original AFAIK, and meticulously maintained)
Original box in very good condition-no wrinkles, scuffs, frayed edges, etc.
Original sales receipt, dated 1951 from store in NJ
Colt fold out brochure with various models depicted

Just looking for a ballpark figure on value.

Thanks in advance.

CJS

Collectors have been known to pay up to $500 for the box and papers. With the documentation (receipt) and the gun in great condition, it could be worth up to $3000 to a collector who wants an early sample (production started in 1949) of a Commander. More likely, it is a $2000 gun with the documentation, assuming some wear.

[Hambo]

No intention of selling it, in fact he wants to shoot it! As I agree it is an heirloom I'm leery of him doing that...


Meh, I've fired pre-War Colts and S&Ws in great condition and the earth didn't open up and swallow me. IMO the worst thing you can do with something left to you by someone you loved/liked/respected is to lock it up somewhere and never use it. Do honor to the men who built it and the owner and shoot that thing!

[csheehy]

Hambo, et al--thank you all very much for the replies. Once he has it in hand, so to speak, I'll post some photos. From the range...

CJS