Its an interesting thread, but one thing that hasn't been discussed is the value change based on the serial #. It can make a huge difference in what some buyers are willing to pay. Information is coming to light these days. For a long time we were out looking and thinking K101 was there for the picking. Now we know its in a museum. To the best of my knowledge, Drew has the lowest at K117. It helps that its in "fair" condition.
That should draw him out!
Basically, everyone wants the guns in the first 100. Then the premium or demand starts to fall off about K201. As you go up, fewer buyers are willing to pay as much. There are guns out there for sale with lower numbers, so the big money will seek those.
What we've seen is buyers are crazy or insane. But a gun with a cool serial will sell faster and for more money. I would guess repeating numbers, like K111, K222, K333, etc would be very desireable. I've sought the low number guns for a long time. I missed buying one in the K130s, and another in the low K140s. I actually held K188, but the owner hadn't shot it yet. But he gave me his phone number. I bet I called that number over a dozen times. Never an answer. At another gun show the following year the guy was back. He said he never answered phone calls from number he didn't recognize.
Then he sold the gun for the equivalent of about $1300 or so dollars. As I recall it was a trade situation, including a bunch of cash and of all things, a Grock. That may be spelled wrong
I don't know. But I can live with it since I'd not have paid that much at that time. Now I know better, and both got a good deal.
Back to "Drew" bashing. He found his ratty old gun in a chicken coop, along with a primo gun rug. He never told us how much he'd paid, but I'd guess (and hope) it wasn't much. The story just sounds better if we knew he stole it!
So how much will a fool be willing to pay? My guess is K102 is worth maybe $3000 if nearly perfect. I'd also guess that if K1890 was worth $2200, nearly all in the K102 - K199 range in similar condition are worth maybe $2500. We're talking about a premium based solely on the desirability of the serial # and when it probably shipped.
Other factors are the accessories. The box, sitting all by itself at a gun show, won't last long at $150. It will probably sell at $200 over a weekend, if its in nice condition. As far as I know, the K22 2nds were shipped with nickel sight adjusters. Those seem to have continued right after the war so I'd guess the early K22 3rds shipped with them. If you can find one for sale, just buy it. Ten years ago they were $100 items. Sometime after the beginning, S&W seemed to move to the black adjusters. I think we've pretty well settled those are black oxide, an industrial coating that isn't blue. Those were also selling for the $100 ten years ago. The higher number K22s, like those shipping in maybe 1948 and still had their accessories seem to have the black adjusters.
We trashed the gun shops and collectors that separated the guns and their boxes and tools. But the reality was we were purists who did this for love, not for money. Yes, we were romantics and the sellers were "ladies of the evening" in comparison. We left money on the table, they maximized their profits. Boxes had numbers, just like grips and barrels. Screwdrivers didn't. So if you've got the gun in the box, include the screwdriver. Wrap it in a kleenex (brand might not matter) and put it in a ziplock. Keep it together for your heirs. They probably don't have a clue what goes with which gun.
