How close are BLUE BOOK values to real world prices?

[Muss Muggins]

Pretty much the way an informed individual does it, that way they don't get taken to the cleaners.

I still manage to screw it up. The main point for me is that value is subjective to area and market. A great price now may have been too much two years ago, and the reverse is also true. Bottom line, if you're happy and the seller is happy, that's what it's worth . . .

 

[glenwolde]

The market moves too fast these days for a printed piece to keep up.

 

[AJ]

I still manage to screw it up. The main point for me is that value is subjective to area and market. A great price now may have been too much two years ago, and the reverse is also true. Bottom line, if you're happy and the seller is happy, that's what it's worth . . .

If you don't make a mistake once in awhile, you are not playing the game.

 

[AJ]

The market moves too fast these days for a printed piece to keep up.

Most of the price guides seem to be a year or two out of date when published. This is why I look at auction sites to see what items are selling for at that time.

In the coin market they have the Gray Sheet and it comes out weekly (or at least it did when I was playing there). That gave the prices weekly for coins and most dealers I knew used it faithfully.

 

[GypsmJim]

The Blue Book is an invaluable tool as a reference to compare different models and variations. But as a guide to value, it is completely worthless. It is NOT 2 years behind, it simply doesn't reflect actual selling prices.

That said, the current issue indicates that my Colt 1911 is worth about $12,000.00. A similar price has been listed in the last 3 issues. Gunbroker prices indicate a value of maybe $2000. I even saw one at a gun show (with a nearby serial number) for $2500.

Eithere the dealer didn't get the memo, or the BB made a mistake and has repeated it year after year.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Blue book is pretty much worthless. Watching a dealer pull out a blue book in order to value something is pretty much the same as watching the proctologist putting salt in the vaseline. You know what is coming....