I seriously can't take anymore of the 3rd gen prices

Here's my particular take on the whole thing. I'm not a dumb dumb by any means. I've collected a lot of things over the years. Hotwheels cars beeing one of them. I recently just sold a two year old lot of 54 of them on eBay for 24 bucks. That means I got .44 cents a piece for them. I paid around a buck for each of them. That being said these were run of the mill mass produced cars. They sold a whole lot of each of them. Now, just because you can't go to Walmart and find any of them now, and chances are you won't find any of them anywhere doesn't make them worth .90 cents each. There is no demand for 3rd gen guns. Mainly only to us people that buy and collect them. Every LGS in my state has atleast one at any given time, and if it just sits there shouldn't that be an eye opener to the sellers that something is wrong?
 
The nice thing about markets is that supply and demand will level it out. Always. That is unless government or whoever is manipulating it.
The fact that you are not willing to pay a certain price does not mean the item is overpriced. Only if _nobody_ is willing to pay that price. Than price goes down or item is not sold. Simple truth.
 
Everything is worth exactly what someone is willing to pay for it.

Would I pay $650 for a 3913? No. Will someone? Yes. What's it worth then?

I can guarantee you if the seller is asking $350 he's not going to get $600, so he starts high and waits.

I'm also not going to pay $4,000 for a Cabbage Patch Doll or $1500 for a first run McDonald's Happy Meal Beany Baby.

(Although my dad did have the foresight to collect thousands of the McDonald's Beany Baby dolls and has them stored along with the original paper bags the meal came in. He thought the bags may end up being worth more than the toys some day.... Still waiting for the demand for those to happen....) :D
 
This is an interesting thread.

Back in the 1990s I owned a couple of 3rd generation pistols. They ended up with my brother as I went on to other things (Glocks, Sigs and other European pistols). In December 2006, I received one of my old 3rd gens back from my brother in a multi-handgun trade. That got me back into 3rd gens . . . in a big way. I believed that they were way undervalued at the time. Between 2007 and early 2010, I found that I could locate them in 99%+ condition, many with original boxes, at what I felt were very good prices.

At one point I had 24 3rd gens. I've now peared that down to a collection of 19. All but 4 are in 99% or better condition, and those 4 are at least 95%. As BLUEBELLYYANKEE noted below, I felt that 3rd gens in this type of condition might actually become collectable in the future.

One of my best deals came in January 2008 on a 3913 on consignment at Turners Outdoorsman in West Covina, CA. It appeared what I was buying was the pistol in 99%+ condition with night sights and one magzine for $350, which I thought was a really good deal. However, after the 10 day wait when I went to pick it up, they brought it out of the back in the original box with original paperwork and a total of 3 magazines (1-flat base and 2-finger support).

I also found similar deals while hunting for 3rd genes between 2007 and 2009. However, during 2010, it seemed to me, at least in the case of high grade 3rd gens, that prices were beginning to rise while availability was shrinking. ;)

Here they are:

My only 2nd generation (100% condition):

IMG_0220a-1.jpg


My big boys (10mm & .45):

IMG_2762a.jpg


My service pistols (med. frame)

IMG_0001a-1.jpg


The single-stack compact kids (9mm, .40 and .45):

IMG_2782a.jpg



. . . and the high-cap compact kids:

IMG_2684a-2.jpg
 
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Someone else mentioned the election coming up, that is one reason but shooting in general has exploded lately and there are a LOT more customers out there, more un-informed customers, who will pay more just to have something.
 
So Denver Dick, in conclusion you've decided to list me as sole beneficiary of those fine firearms in your will.
 
Well being I have a MINT 5946 that is lettered as a original NYPD test gun shipped to Rodmans Neck for evaluation when the NYPD was looking to transition from Revolvers to Semi Automatics I will have to post it for 1000.00, its a steal only cause I do not have the original box and papers!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, as Frustraiting as it can be the guns are worth what people are willing to pay, always have been always will be.
 
I think we would all admit that after handling a brand new Plastic Glock, Springfield XD, M&P or whatever, that is priced at $550, it is compelling to pay $550 or more for a nice condition 3rd gen gun. Maybe it is the cheap-feeling new plastic guns that are actually driving up the value of the 3rd gens.

Imagine taking somebody that knows nothing about guns and get them to hold a brand new plastic gun and then hand them a 22 year old 5906 and then ask them which one they would pay more for.

Enough said.
 
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There all so expensive because Denver Dick has the market cornered. :)

A very nice collection you have there. Thanks for sharing.

To the OP, I see what you are saying. And it's funny because the overpriced ones are always the worst looking ones out there with ratty finishes and completely polished slides and frames as if someone was trying to make them aesthetically improved. All the 3rd gens I have picked up that have been high quality finishes were also the ones I paid the least for. I think it goes to say that people are gnerally confused about how to price these guns. As another poster said, they are entering the collectible years and I think we are seeing how the price starts to mature. Because of this, I think there are still great deals to be had.
 
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Over the last year I've bought a few guns to fill in gaps in my collection, a new Glock 23 ($500), a used Glock 27 ($350), a Walther P1 ($350), a Walther P38 (post war) ($300) and a 5906 ($340). I won't compare the 5906 to the Glocks, they each have their own place but I sure wish I'd got two 3rd gens instead of two Walthers! The 5906 is a lot of gun for the money.
 
perfectcircle1 said:
That's nice, but im third gen guy
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Looks nice.

The Dick Harrell is not mine btw. I wish... gotta wipe off the drool on my keyboard ;)

But btt: What is value? Value is only what somebody is willing to pay for it. It was always like that and will ever be.

Look what a Yeko cost btw. I cannot even afford a rusty fender of a Yenko Camaro... :o
 
JJEH said:
Looks nice.

The Dick Harrell is not mine btw. I wish... gotta wipe off the drool on my keyboard ;)

But btt: What is value? Value is only what somebody is willing to pay for it. It was always like that and will ever be.

Look what a Yeko cost btw. I cannot even afford a rusty fender of a Yenko Camaro... :o
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What I'm saying is yeah, there might be that one person out there that is willing to overpay for something, but finding them is a different matter
 
Personally, I'd rather have a restored '70 Cuda than any of the new ones Chrysler's come out with. It was pure sex, IMHO(had one). I just bought a 4516-1 sans the box for $499 plus 25 shipping. That's $524 for a well maintained, reliable compact 45 and I'd rather have spent that on on all steel S&W that the same amount of money on a G30SF...or any other Glock for that matter.

It all boils down to what you want, how bad and what are you willing to spend. Look at the tremendous prices a Colt Python cost. I couldn't afford one back in 1978 much less now that they've skyrocketed.

BTW, Denver-If ever you decide to sell any more of those, drop me a pm.:)
 
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CajunBass said:
Everybody thinks prices are too high. Unless they happen to be selling. Then it's a different story.
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HAH, you got that right, glad someone said it. When people try to low ball me, I ask them "would you sell that item for the same amount you offered me?"............there's usually silence after that.:rolleyes:
 
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