The Board of Trustees authorized a price increase for letters of authenticity issued by Roy Jinks. Effective October 1, 2019 a letter of authenticity will cost $100. If you are a member of the S&WHF or S&WCA, the price will be $90 and if you are a member of both the Foundation and the Association, the cost will be $75. PayPal will be an option for paying for your letter(s) in the near future.

If you are a member of the S&WHF and the invoice for your firearm is available, Mr. Jinks will include it with your letter of authenticity. Invoices are only available through 1967.

Bill Cross
Chairman, Board of Trustees, S&WHF

How old is Roy, if I may ask?

83. Born 05-09-1936.

His teething ring was a Registered Magnum.

Wasn't worth it at $50 for the miniscule amount of information you get about your actual gun, don't know why anyone would pay double that. Surely Roy's retirement funds are already flush.

People ask me what's the dollar value of getting the original factory box with your second hand Smith & Wesson handgun? Well, between the information on the label and the additional information you can get simply by calling S&W CS, there is very little need left to go for a letter unless you just want one anyway.

That's nothing against Roy or his crew or letters in general, especially for older guns of very high value. It's just a case for saving your boxes and why guns in their original factory boxes are worth their typically higher value.

I some cases you may be correct, others not. The letter on my TL provided a wealth of information that I couldn't have gotten otherwise.

I don't letter all my S&Ws but there are a few that just seem to need it. I just bought a K22 Outdoorsman that shipped in the first month of the run and is only #103 of the total production and in my opinion it needs to be lettered.

I hate to say this, but S&W and the rest of them are making more money off these letters then they made of the original sale of the gun. My approach is unless the firearm has some unusual features or is marked in some way a letter is usually a waste of money.
Jim

I dont believe the S&W factory is any longer connected with Roy or the letters. Roy is connected with the S&WHF. If he is still working and providing us collectors with requested information, we collectors say go for it. I found the inquiries about his age and financial well being, completely inappropriate. Just my opinion. If you dont like, move your interests. Mike

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

If it wasn't for a letter , I would never known about my 4567 . I called customer service and found out it was a Lew Horton . I decided to get a letter and I'm thankful I did . It stated that not only was it a LH , but it was 1 of 14 that was sent to them . Now , very few S&Ws are like that , but then no one is forcing you to get a letter . They serve a purpose , and they do so very well . My hats off to Roy and his crew for doing this , which they don't have to .

While I would rather pay less than more for anything, the kind of information available in those letters can be pretty darn unique for the right gun. It also might be the kind of thing that just increases your interest in a used gun you happen to own, such as pointed out by cherrypointmarine.

Some day that information won't be available for one reason or another, and people will wish they could pay $100 for it.

Nuf sed..........

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Come and take it!!

I don't letter anything newer than 1960 or so but do think the cost is worth it in many cases. Every once in awhile there's a positive surprise (finding out my pre-27 originally went to the Kansas City PD) and it's nice to know the original shipping configuration. Getting those "this is an interesting revolver" comments from Roy in a letter is like getting an unexpected Christmas present. I'm willing to pay "retail" (and more) when the gun is accompanied by a letter confirming configuration, finish, etc. I think the information value has more than paid for the cost in the dozen or so letters I've purchased.

Jeff
SWCA #1457