I have two revolvers I got lettered. They have no big secrets/stories behind the guns, but they are pretty interesting as far as some options that may have come with the guns.
Anyways, when you guys sell a lettered revolver, or whatever, do you add a couple bucks to your asking price or anything like that?Keeping the letter would be a little useless without the gun unless you just like to collect that sort of stuff. I'd just like an idea of what I should do, or what would the masses suggest, since I have a couple that I may pass along in the near future.
Thanks for any help, as most of you know I need all the help I can get more often than not!
Jeff T.

I'd include the letter..... "pretty interesting...options". ...... seems to make the letters/guns unique.

I've only lettered my RM and Dad's Model 10 [1946]

Include the letter but I think it only adds value if there’s something unique about the gun that the letter verifies ….. but I could be wrong

I've sold most of my guns on this Forum and in the case of Letters I always include the Letter with the gun at shipment. Why not?
The Buyer already knows your name and address when they sent you payment.

I price my guns for sale on current market conditions without anything more for the Letter. The Letter just validates the gun at time of original shipment.

Just my opinion and way I handle it.

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Charlie B
SWCA#3083, SWHF#570

For collectors and S&WCA members I include letters and other documentation and accessories (box, tools, etc.) acquired for a particular firearm. It's all in the initial asking price. I have received a few letters with the addressee info redacted or cut out, and that's OK.

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Tom in AZ
Respect the Dingbat

Not much sense selling the gun and keeping the letter .

What would you do with the letter ?

Gary

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Certified Cajun
NRA Member

Exactly what I was thinking. I'd be selling on here; at least give our members 1st shot. I'm not really worried about my ID on the letters, as one week in my shoes and one would beg me to take my life back!
Now, it would be cool to be the 1st kid on the block, at least here, to own a couple $100 paper airplanes.
Thanks all, once again, for generously donating/lending me some of the collective experience in the room.
Peace! Jeff T.

Jeff
I'd give the letters with the gun.

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Don Mundell

The letter goes with the gun. No extra charge.

I agree, letter follows the gun. If you want, copy the letter as a memento or for your information files, along with who it went to.

Whether the gun has a storied history or not, the new owner has information he'd have to pay $100 for otherwise.

And it keeps him from having to post on the forum "got a date for this gun"?

5 of my 10 S&W's are lettered now, and I'd like to do the rest at some point, just to have the info for my heirs and whomever they pass things along to years from now.

It should definitely be included in the sale. These factory letters are not cheap, and for many it can take months of waiting for them to be completed and mailed back. I believe every gun has a story to tell. And unless it was purchased by or tied to a historical figure, it's not any more special than the majority of letters out there, but it still places the firearm in a timeline of history. For most serious collectors that's worth paying a little extra.

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Ephesians 6 (Armor of God)

Include the letter with no additional charge.

It’s likely not an accessory that adds significant value, but it is likely to sell more quickly than an identical revolver at the same price without a letter.

How could you not do that? 100 years from now, MAYBE, S&W letters from the 20th or early 21st century might have standalone value but it is only a possibility, and then just for historical letter collectors (they must exist). But the gun's value is either neutral or better when accompanied by a letter. Provenance like that will matter 100 years from now.

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Come and take it!!

A letter and other documentation such as a copy of the invoice should stay with the gun.

Bill

jeffrefrig said,"I'd just like an idea of what I should do, or what
would the masses suggest, since I have a couple that I may pass
along in the near future."

You do the right thing. The letter goes with the gun. To honor the
gun for being what it is and to honor you for being an upright person.

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never get out of the boat

My stock standard reply, when asked why I lettered every single gun in my collections, was "They're like the frosting on the cake.".

Now I've seen folks remove the frosting from the cake, and eat it first; but they were little kids; and we almost always cut some slack for the little ones.

Ralph Tremaine

I'm hard pressed to figure out why someone would sell the gun and keep a letter. If they want to keep the letter just make a copy. Without the gun it's useless.

Reciently purchased a old (OLD) model 41 and it would have been nice if it had one, o well guess I will order one .
# 3065

I have lettered a few. Most important to me is the one that dated my Pre-10 M&P .38 to 30 days before I was born. If I ever have to sell it, the paper stays with me. New owner gets the copy. Others, the new owners get the originals.

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Heavily armed old man.

Curious if anyone has a reason why you would not?

An interesting comment from a post up above: "The letter just validates the gun at time of original shipment."

I say interesting, probably should have said puzzling; because I'm not sure I know what it means. The letter most certainly confirms the configuration of the gun as it was shipped---------and I think that's what it means---and it's entirely correct---all except for that word "just".

I lettered every single gun in my collection---more to see who it was shipped to. Now my collection was target guns, and at least 60% of those were pre-war---and a good third or more of those were shipped to individuals---mostly folks I never heard of---and was only occasionally able to find anything about them------------all but one. I'd heard of him.

It was shipped to Philip B. Sharpe as a gift----he who S&W credits with the development of the 357 Magnum cartridge-----and he to whom they gave Registered Magnum #2---among others along the way. The letter noted "This is a very important revolver." Mine was his 22/40.

Something like that makes it all worthwhile---and there are more guns like that out there-----more than a few!

Ralph Tremaine

An unfortunate and even sad note: The fellow I bought that gun from had owned it for ten years---------and never lettered it.

Agreed that the letter goes with the gun.
Having said that, if you - for whatever reason - need to reference a gun that you "used to have", just make a copy of the letter for your files and send the original with the gun.
I've referred to info on past owned guns that I've lettered, it comes in handy on occasion.
On the other hand, I have received letters on guns I've purchased and have really appreciated having the documentation, and it reminds me who I purchased the gun from (my memory being what it is, this really helps... )

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.............SmithNut

Is there any reason that a copy of the letter going with the gun would not be just as good? The buyer didn't have to pay for it and he's getting all the information, so why should he kick?

I've had sellers send me a copy with their names and addresses redacted. I assume they don't know what I will do with the letter and don't want that information on the web or being passed on to unknown individuals in orther ways. Having their names and addresses redacted never bothered me.

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You're shy a few manners.

Yes the letter goes with the firearm. Keep a copy for yourself if you feel like it.

The more important question to me is value. A box with matching serial number is good enough to confirm how a 1970=> Smith & Wesson shipped. (I’m not sure when S&W started printing full info on the boxes.) In that case a letter doesn’t add much. For example, would a letter stating that my 624 with a 3” barrel was part of a Lew Horton shipment add any value? Eh… It would still be nice to include in the “package” of stuff with the gun.

On the other hand, I believe that a letter adds some value to any 1960 or older revolver. The older it gets, the more valuable the letter seems to me even if there’s nothing special about the gun or the letter. And there may be something a buyer likes that doesn’t even occur to you. I recently bought a Colt Officers Model 38 shipped in 1915 to Portland, Maine. The fact that I was bringing the gun home meant something to me - however ridiculous that might sound. (The letter also confirmed that it shipped with the custom 7-1/2” barrel so there’s that too…)

I would include the letter with the firearm. As others have stated, make a copy if you want it for your records.

As far as value, I think it does add something. I know personally I like to see a letter included with a perspective S&W on an auction site or other for sale listing. I do not know what dollar value it exactly adds, but it does encourage higher bids from me in an auction situation.

The only thought *I* have on your question, which would not affect me, in fact I might like the fact---( we live on that way!)

is that they don't want their names/identities out there?

A copy can be manipulated.

Some might get wrapped up in some crazy notion that they're giving away a hundred dollars, or whatever they paid for the letter, and they can't live with that.
I don't see it like that. I've only lettered two guns. The letter went with each one. Some interesting info, but it didn't really add value to the gun.

I agree

The factory letter has sold pre 1960s, semi common guns for me a few ways.

Sold on as a birth year-month gun.
Sold another as it shipped to a hometown city.
Sold another as the letter confirmed all target features.

None of these guns were rare or unique, but in my opinion the letter allowed me to sell at my asking prices.

I may consider to start clipping out my name and address as who knows how many times these guns will sell and I prefer not to see my info on GB or such.

I never thought of that.

If I were selling a gun and a potential buyer insisted on getting the original letter, not a photocopy, because he was concerned I might somehow alter the text in the photocopy, I would tell him he needs to find a seller he can trust which obviously isn't me.

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You're shy a few manners.

You're right. I would not trust a seller that insisted on keeping the original while giving me a copy.

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Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208