Dating/valuing a 39-2

[fishwishin]

My wife and I are in Maricopa, AZ this weekend to transition her mom back home after a stint in a dementia rehab center. The road ahead is a rough one, but one we are prepared for. We will work on getting her and stepdad back to California where we can get her appropriately housed close to us.

In going through her things we came across her old Smith 39-2. She cannot remember much about it, but my examination of it shows it to fired very little with the only evidence of it eating any rounds is some minor case wear on the breech face. No other signs of wear, tear, neglect or damage. Bluing is 100% and both original magazines are present. Complete with box and associated papers.

The serial number is: A6933xx

I am just wondering what year it shipped and an approximate value. Value is just a curiosity as it will remain in my wife's collection- even if she did wonder if it was a .39 special! Haha!!

Thank you

 

[Green Frog]

The SCSW shows that SN from 1981. Of course there are some discrepancies but without a letter, that's probably the closest you'll get. Both mags, box and docs? She really took care of it. As for price, I'll leave that to others who are actually keeping up, but I think you and your wife will be pleasantly surprised. Collectors and shooters are really starting to get interested in them when in that shape.

Best wishes with your mother in law. I know from experience that things can be trying, but hang on. Look for the entertaining events and remember good times while just overlooking the tough times. "This too shall pass."

Regards,
Froggie

 

[peterdeb]

Sorry to hear about your MIL. You have come across a rather nice semi-collectable. From GB history and a few for sale here, I would, without pictures of course, value your package at between $650.00 and $900.00. I 've seen a few go for over $1K

 

[mauser9]

Quite a value jump indeed over the years. And to think they could be had for $125 new back in 1974. Long time ago but seems like pocket change today.

 

[Howardeye]

Sorry to hear about your MIL. You have come across a rather nice semi-collectable. From GB history and a few for sale here, I would, without pictures of course, value your package at between $650.00 and $900.00. I 've seen a few go for over $1K

Great reply from peterdeb!

 

[cocojo]

Hang onto it, the prices are only going up. Box, papers, cleaning rod brings the value up a lot. Prices above are pretty spot on. I have one with box and cleaning rod in excellent condition from 1972. In the mid seventies these guns were $250.00 to $275.00 new. I purchased quite a few of them back then and carried one for work along with my model 59. Still have them. Great shooting handguns with great triggers. Standard velocity ammunition should be used in them.

 

[pa5906tsw]

Agree with others. The value of your package would be no less than $700 with a private sale.

 

[cmansguns]

Ya got a keeper for sure!

Very hard to beat family history when looking at heirlooms. The value becomes second fiddle because most are not going to sell it anyway, and as it passes on down the backstory just becomes more and more valuable to you and yours. My advice is to gather all the anecdotes you can regarding your mother...why did she buy it? Did she do more than just empty a mag or two? How did it feel to her in the hand? Was she apprehensive with the gun around and having children in the house?

Whatever you hear...write it down for posterity. Add some pictures and a bio of your mother, and someday maybe one of your great great grandkids will inherit something way...way cool.

A few years back I bought a Model 31 from a man to settle his mothers estate. He was not a gun guy, but the backstory (with receipt from the gunstore) was that his mother had been convinced by neighbors that she needed a gun for protection of herself and her infant son when her husband passed at a very early age. The neighborhood was kinda rough. Anyway, the gun sat in a dresser drawer its whole time. The son never knew about the gun until cleaning out the house after his mother passed. I was able to locate the house and some early pics for my files, along with trying to locate the original gun store which as it turns out..........is now an off-ramp for Interstate 288!

My Model 39-2 was also an estate sale, fired very little if at all, complete with box and docs, but only 1 mag. Paid $450 in mid 2019. Had to pop another $53 for a second original mag off flea-bay, so 5 Bennies into it. Recently turned down an $800 offer simply because I like this gun so much, and like yours, the price will go up as time goes by....Nobody makes anything like it nowadays.

PS: Your wife got it half right. Drop the 3, keep the 9 and the "Special" cause you will find that the 39-2 is really and truly special.

 

[gmborkovic]

Hey Charlie, take the test tube brush and put it out in the lab.
That is a nice 39-2 set.

 

[cmansguns]

Hey Charlie, take the test tube brush and put it out in the lab.
That is a nice 39-2 set.

Hello Mike; Yea........I thought the same about the "test tube brush". It has been removed from the "set" and the other original mag added........just no new pics yet (my camera is just basically lazy...it waits for some human to activate, stage the gun, set up lighting, copy the disc to computer....you know the drill).

The OP's from MIL is really nice...I hope he, or the wife can find a few loose 9mm rounds to take it at least once to the range. Probably can find 13 rounds for the price I paid for the extra mag if he/she acts real quick!