Here I am with a bit of a contrarian reply to the OP's question.
I have paid my money for three letters so right away you can consider my opinion based on limited personal experience. We've all seen scores of letters posted on this site, and a few have offered interesting tidbits about a particular revolver. I found the generic information in the three-page letters about Model 547s to be the most interesting of all I've read.
I asked specific questions about each of the three revolvers I "lettered," and I sent lots of photos. Each letter came back with details similar to those shown in the letter Hondo44 posted. None addressed the questions I had asked, and I don't believe the letter added its cost to the value of each revolver. To me the letters are gee-whiz eye candy.
Perhaps the information I wanted to know simply wasn't available in the company records (for example, "Did my 1956 .32 HE ship from the factory with a target trigger?"), but the letter didn't say one way or the other.
I have a few other revolvers (like the oddity in the photo) I'm curious about, and I might well ask (pay) for a letter about them. I won't hold my breath waiting for earth-shattering news, though.
For all my curiosity I could save up those $75 fees and buy another neat, old revolver I'd simply remain curious about. I believe I'd be the happier with another revolver than another piece of paper.
At some point in the future -- hopefully the far distant future -- my daughter can figure out what to do. My detailed records will tell her the price I paid, offer as much provenance as I can muster and suggest a reasonable resale value (adjusted annually) so you shouldn't see one of those "I inherited these guns, and can you tell me what they're worth?" threads at that time.
The company has made hundreds of thousands of revolvers. I believe a letter on a small percentage of those might offer some compelling details that justify the price of the letter. It's a gamble, and I'm not much of a chance taker.
One guy's opinion, and its certainly not intended to pour a cold glass of water on the process or its results.
Slàinte,
Bob
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Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob
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