Consecutive numbered guns...are they worth more to you?

[scruff]

We know there are emotional bidders out there. But to make a profit, you'd have to have at least two emotional bidders at one time. It all boils down to whether you're a gambling man. If you buy a consecutive number at a fair price, all you're really risking is not making enough profit to cover the shipping and transfer fees for the one you buy.

[thebearpack]

I imagine, if they ever command a premium, it will be down the road when they rarely appear for sale. Right now, if I look at enough auctions, I'll probably be able to make a match with one of the other ones I have.

I agree. To me, it's a matter of if you want to turn a profit now or in a few years. You know you can make $6400 profit on the two you have right now.

These NIB guns will mostly wind up in the collections of people who will put them away. So if you pay now for the one you need and sell the one you don't then wait it out, you might be able to offer your NIB consecutive set in 2-3 years once everyone else has squirreled them away. And at that time maybe you'll be able to get $7,500 or more. Maybe $8,000. Who knows? So it it worth hanging onto them to try for an additional 15% or more in a couple years? Only you can answer that.

Check out what a cased set of Colt Boas go for. They won't go down in value. That's a guarantee.

[39flathead]

We know there are emotional bidders out there. But to make a profit, you'd have to have at least two emotional bidders at one time. It all boils down to whether you're a gambling man. If you buy a consecutive number at a fair price, all you're really risking is not making enough profit to cover the shipping and transfer fees for the one you buy.

That linked to auction will be a good gauge to make an informed decision.

Like I said earlier, diehard Colt fans would be the target buyer pool.
If the linked auction ends with the winning and runner up bidder being the two that drive the selling cost alone, someone selling another set will need that runner up and yet another bidder willing to do the same thing again.

Maybe that set will go way up there, maybe another set would as well, and that's why the Colt collector with either deep pockets or too much pride to accept losing will be needed.
These guns are not going to be driven skyhigh by the average collector who spends $10k a year imo or someone looking for a shooter.

Good observation.

[Marcus99]

I imagine, if they ever command a premium, it will be down the road when they rarely appear for sale. Right now, if I look at enough auctions, I'll probably be able to make a match with one of the other ones I have.

I think you are spot on with this! This is a frenzy right now as basically all of these guns are(or were recently) on the market, but in the years to come there will most likely be less and less on the market which of course should reflect in the asking price. Years down the road how many people are going to have more than 1 of these, let alone a consecutive pair? If there is BIG money to be made, it's years away.

[39flathead]

Most telling for me about that auction is that the pair price is right in line with the price singles are going for. So far, they aren't commanding any premium at all.

To be fair, the linked auction still has days to go.
It's very possible that there could be a bidding war.

Now if there is another set listed after this one will there be another pair of bidders willing to do the same is what you would be taking the chance on.

I don't think anyone doubts that these are a good investment, but whether they are a quick flip at a larger than usual profit is the real question.
As you said, that Pony drives prices.
I guess we'll see when that auction ends.


As a military arms collector I'd like to have one of these, but I simply cannot justify the current prices and I know they will only go up so I don't see me ever having one, I can live with that, I'm not breaking my self imposed spending limit to have one.
What I'm getting at is that like you said earlier in the thread, these have a cross collectibility, if you had the cash to buy the consecutive one and to then sit on them, you'll most likely make money.
But it's up to you to decide if that money could turn a greater return in a shorter time frame by purchasing guns that can be sold at an immediate profit right now.

I had that pair of FN Herstal made Falo's I picked up some time back for peanuts, it took 20 years to make a 300% profit on one.
IMO, if I had taken that money back then and kept flipping silver I'd have made a larger net return on that money.

[thebearpack]

To be fair, the linked auction still has days to go.
It's very possible that there could be a bidding war.

Now if there is another set listed after this one will there be another pair of bidders willing to do the same is what you would be taking the chance on.

I don't think anyone doubts that these are a good investment, but whether they are a quick flip at a larger than usual profit is the real question.
As you said, that Pony drives prices.
I guess we'll see when that auction ends.


As a military arms collector I'd like to have one of these, but I simply cannot justify the current prices and I know they will only go up so I don't see me ever having one, I can live with that, I'm not breaking my self imposed spending limit to have one.
What I'm getting at is that like you said earlier in the thread, these have a cross collectibility, if you had the cash to buy the consecutive one and to then sit on them, you'll most likely make money.
But it's up to you to decide if that money could turn a greater return in a shorter time frame by purchasing guns that can be sold at an immediate profit right now.

I had that pair of FN Herstal made Falo's I picked up some time back for peanuts, it took 20 years to make a 300% profit on one.
IMO, if I had taken that money back then and kept flipping silver I'd have made a larger net return on that money.

Wow. Almost exactly what I said verbatim but I was wrong somehow.

To the bolded part, yep: it's only the pony. Not the military connection or USMC provenance or rarity or the fact that they mark the end of the 1911s USGI lineage. It's just the pony.

Like these three that aren't worth anything 'cause there's no pony:

[39flathead]

Wow. Almost exactly what I said verbatim but I was wrong somehow.

To the bolded part, yep: it's only the pony. Not the military connection or USMC provenance or rarity or the fact that they mark the end of the 1911s USGI lineage. It's just the pony.

Like these three that aren't worth anything 'cause there's no pony:

I really think your problem with me personally clouds your reading of my posts.
Seems you are pissed about me buying Mosins?
Really?

That's not all I buy.

UJ correctly stated why these USMC pistols are bringing what they bring.
I gave the opinion that Colt fanatics would be the ones that would put more value on a consecutive pair.

You went into full on outrage and insult mode.
Where did I say you were wrong?

I gave my opinion that it would take a Colt fanboy to drive prices high, UJ pretty much said the same thing without using the term fanboy.
You took exception to me using the term and read what you wanted to read into my post.

You went into personal insult mode, not me pal.

Who said Union Switch and Signal pistols aren't worth anything?

[arjohnson]

I wouldn't, but I'm no collector. I would say they may add a little more value if sold as a pair versus separately.

[arjohnson]

Why put "just colts" in quotes?

I never said that.
Just a FYI...

Because Colts sell, like it or not. They always have and always will.

[39flathead]

Because Colts sell, like it or not. They always have and always will.

Who said they didn't?

That's my point, I never said that but I was "quoted" as saying so.

Everyone knows that, I said as much and so did UJ.

Again, people read things into posts that simply aren't there.