Franklin Mint Minatures - The Guns that won the West

[glowe]

I know there is at least one Franklin Mint item that has risen in value over the years. They sold a replica of Wyatt Earp's Model 3 in 1993 for $79. 30 years later, recent sales indicate prices paid are $200 to $300, mostly because it is an extremely detailed replica. Also, design, weight, and action were all done very well. Appreciation was 3X return in 30 years before excluding a 56% deflation of the dollar over that time, but better than most Franklin Mint collectibles.

I bought 2 of them several years ago to display in an old-west leather rig. They look impressive in the holster and on the wall. I believe I paid $50 for one and $75 for the other one. They are now often sold as a "rare" replica, but a quick search shows at least a dozen for sale now from $190 tp $440!!

 

[Narragansett]

Franklin Mint, Bradford Exchange, Knives an watches in magazines, the buffalo double eagle clad in 14mg of .9999 of pure gold, all junk, at 10% of the stated value. Like collecting Avon bottles. Buyer beware IMO

 

[Inusuit]

I've never seen that set of miniature guns before, but I know it's really old because nobody -- NOBODY -- would market anything in this day and age using the phrase "won the West"...

'Winning the West" means the United States finishing taking the land away from the people who were here before we arrived, circa 1890 with the killing of Sitting Bull and the Wounded Knee Massacre. Then we moved on to Hawaii and the Philippines in 1898.

 

[jscheck]

My wife and I attend estate sales regularly and she does re-sales. NONE of the "collector" sets of anything sell for even what they were purchased for originally.