Police Dept. commemoratives.....

SrBenelli · Apr 24, 2008

I've got a "Nassau County PD" commemorative 66-2 (walnut case, presentation grips, special engraving, etc....) Mine's # 304 of 825

Got me thinking.....how many different "commemoratives" are out there? I've seen Suffolk Co. PD (to match the neighboring Nassau Co), Detroit PD, Indiana State Police, Texas Rangers (with matching Bowie knife combo)......what others am I missing?
And what's the general oppinion on worth (over an identical gun....minus the fancy engravings, case, etc....

SrBenelli · Apr 24, 2008

I've got a "Nassau County PD" commemorative 66-2 (walnut case, presentation grips, special engraving, etc....) Mine's # 304 of 825

Got me thinking.....how many different "commemoratives" are out there? I've seen Suffolk Co. PD (to match the neighboring Nassau Co), Detroit PD, Indiana State Police, Texas Rangers (with matching Bowie knife combo)......what others am I missing?
And what's the general oppinion on worth (over an identical gun....minus the fancy engravings, case, etc....

Duke426 · Apr 24, 2008

IMHO, the commemoratives hold less value than a "plain" model of the same gun. The only one I have noticed that generates even mild interest is the Texas Ranger model 19. I have one I am seriously considering selling but it seems like it may be hard for me to find a buyer for that one even.

bk43 · Apr 24, 2008

There are hundreds of commemoratives S&W made for various agencies and they don't seem to command much of a premium over standard guns. However, some of them are pretty darn nice and if it appeals to me I will buy one.

There are 5 guns I've heard of as being considered "offical" S&W commemoratives and those don't seem to command a premium either. The exception is the Elmer Keith which is selling at $200 to $300 over its issue price. Frankly that has always suprised me as it is a gawd awful bling-bling looking gun. YMMV.

Bob

colt_saa · Apr 24, 2008

Hundreds? It has to be more into the thousands. Not only were there commemoratives that S&W produced, but there were many organizations that bought a block of firearms had had the commemorative designed outside of S&W.

As to value? Outside of those that participated in what is being commemorated or those that admire what is being commemorated it is just a revolver with extra markings.

Sometimes commemorative embellishments can be as simple as a roll mark on the barrel, a logo on the side plate and a wood case. Sometimes the logos and roll marks are gold washed, sometimes they are left unfilled.

Then you have some with a little extra. Perhaps a small gold inlay or a badge/buckle included in the commemorative.

Then you get to the more serious embellishments like hand engraving. Sometimes it is class D coverage sometimes it is full coverage.

The more heavily embellished commemoratives do command a premium over the price of a like model revolver. However the cost is usually attributed to the embellishment and not to the event commemorated.

This is not just limited to LEO commemoratives (even though I kept the images focused on that category). S&W has commemorated many other things as well. We are also not limited to S&W as other firearms have been used to commemorate both LEOs and events.

Obviously, I like them. Several are always on display in my office and I like to switch them out every now and then. At the moment the Deluxe Texas Ranger Model 19 has been put away and my SIG P239 USSS pistol is on the corner of the desk.

SrBenelli · Apr 25, 2008

Real nice collection! Here's the 66-2 I was talking about:

I've got an uncle who's a retired detective sgt. from that agency, so I felt the need to add a "safe queen" to the safe! LOL

Oh......scored her for $500

Wyatt Earp · Apr 25, 2008

Me Like!!

sigp220.45 · Apr 25, 2008

That is a great collection, Colt_saa.

I agree commemoratives may not be a great investment (though take a look at what FBI M-27s are bringing these days) but they are sure fun to find.

Thanks for the posting the pics.

sipowicz · Apr 25, 2008

I'm kind of glad I found mine with no coin and a dinged up box for under 300...cause it's a great shooter...

walnutred · Apr 25, 2008

Originally posted by sigp220.45:
That is a great collection, Colt_saa.

I agree commemoratives may not be a great investment (though take a look at what FBI M-27s are bringing these days) but they are sure fun to find.

Thanks for the posting the pics.

That's the one I'm hoping someone can give me guidance on. A friend has one he picked up when they first came out because he was in the FBI. Last time I saw him he said his wife has been bugging him to get rid of it for over 20 years and asked if I was interested. What is the price range of these and how much will I hurt the value when I bust a cap on it the first time?

Bat Guano · Apr 25, 2008

Had three of the BP commemoratives. two of them went to friends who wanted them early on; the third one I traded into a very nice (real) Springfield Armory 1911 of about 1914 vintage. I then sold that off at a decent profit and put the proceeds into a full-house engraving job on another 1913 vintage 1911 by a "name" engraver. I figure I parlayed that original $240 or so into a $3500 gun by the time I was done. One of the few times I actually ran a lucky streak out all the way.

As it has turned out, those BP commemoratives peaked in value early on and then got lost in the ground clutter. As far as I can tell they are now just a M66 with some significance to guys who like them. I think the others are about in the same category, and their prices tend to reflect that.

Personally I like that last 1911 a lot better.

4864 · Apr 25, 2008

In 1985 the North Dakota Highway Patrol had its 50th Anniversary. They had 4 inch M586's commemoratives made up which was odd because at the time the NDHP was using 4 inch M66. I saw one the other day. Been many years since I had seen one for sale. I belive this was the model made for public sale. The ones I saw as a kid had a 50th Anniversary badge, pin & patch with it and this one didn't. I think that Troopers and LE only got the order the 'deluxe' set. I wouldn't mind having one for my S&W & North Dakota LE collection. They are going to have a 75th Anniversary not too long down the road. The NDHP has Sig 226R two-tones in .357Sig now. Wonder if they are going to have a commemorative?

rburg · Apr 25, 2008

Originally posted by Bat Guano:
As far as I can tell they are now just a M66 with some significance to guys who like them.

I've got one still. It also has the matching badge # Randall knife along with it. My guess is that any value the gun has lost has at least been covered by the increase in the knife's value. I haven't a clue what its fair market is at this time.

I'm guessing that any unfired 4" M66 with a pinned barrel and presentation grips is up around $500 these days. With the knife worth significantly more since fewer were made (any Randall in like new condition has significant value, except at yard sales.....

JohnD · Apr 25, 2008

Originally posted by Bat Guano:

As it has turned out, those BP commemoratives peaked in value early on and then got lost in the ground clutter. As far as I can tell they are now just a M66 with some significance to guys who like them. I think the others are about in the same category, and their prices tend to reflect that.

I hope your right as I let mine go when I was young and dumber! and now that I am retired I would like to find another one.. For a while (when I was not interested) there were a few around South Texas for the price of a plain 66, know when I start searching the only ones I found were higher than a cats ass.) Had 2 DEA Series 70 Gold Cup Commems and tried to sell one on GB a few years ago and nobody wanted it so know one sits in the safe and one is a hell of a shooter..

I find the same to be true when somone buys a decent 1911 and drops 2 grand in it and then try and get it back in a trade or sale.. Never happens around here.

Click to expand...

MakeMineaMagnum · Apr 25, 2008

What a great thread! Thanks for posting those incredible pictures guys.

cush · Apr 25, 2008

Colt_SAA have you ever seen a Maine Warden Commision (game warden that is) model 66? A genlteman I know has number 1 of 500. He is a retired Maine warden and they did a lottery to see who got what gun. He won number 1. I keep asking to see it/buy it, but I'm not having much luck.

m657 · Apr 25, 2008

....sometimes I enjoy looking at the collection others have of such items....

I never hunt them down for my own purchase and don't particularly expect to ever spend extra money for such.

"True Engraving" is often interesting on what OTHERS own....same for tatoos....I may enjoy looking but don't care for my own....

SrBenelli · Apr 26, 2008

By the way.....if anyone has a line on a Suffolk Co PD. commemorative (same setup as the Nassau one, but the case is lined in red instead of blue).....please let me know.
My uncle was a Nassau detective....but I grew up in Suffolk Co. I'd love a "matching set"

steve a. · Apr 26, 2008

This is an Indiana State Police commemorative issued about 1975. This Model 66 has not been fired since factory.

SrBenelli · Apr 26, 2008

We need to have the board put together a permanent album of some sorts with pics of all the commemoratives!

Police Dept. commemoratives.....

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