Price check on some older S&Ws

[Joe W]

A friend has 11 older Smiths ranging from a Tip Up Model #1 3rd Issue (early Type) S/N 16xx to to a 32-20 WCF Model of 1905 4th change.
I believe this is a very early 4th change S/N 656xx.
Others are Safty Hammerless 1st., 2nd, 3rd and 4th Models, a .38 Double Action Perfected Model,
a .32 Cal. Double Action 4th Model,, a .32 Hand Ejector 1st. Model, a .38 Safety Hammerless ( Z Bar)
Most of the guns are in V.G. plus with all numbers matching where they should.

The nicest gun is a .32 Hand Ejector 1st Model Double Action ( Model 1886) blue finish with 4 1/4" Barrel. S/N 144xx
The condition of this gun is Exc., If it was a modern revolver I would grade it at at least 97%

After all that, my question. My friend knows nothing about grading or pricing these guns and asked for my help. Not being an expert, I went to the SCSW 3rd Edition and tried to grade them according to the book.
I would like to know how close is the prices listed in the SCSW to what the guns might sell for.
For instance, The .32 Hand Ejector 1st model is listed as follows in SCSW
Good $ 325.00
V.G. 375.00
Fine 600.00
Exc. 800.00

A .38 Safety Hammerless 2nd Model 4" barrel, blue finish in V.G. is listed at $ 235.00 and 300.00 in fine.

How close are these figures to real world prices ??

Thanks for any help. Joe

 

[Joe W]

A friend has 11 older Smiths ranging from a Tip Up Model #1 3rd Issue (early Type) S/N 16xx to to a 32-20 WCF Model of 1905 4th change.
I believe this is a very early 4th change S/N 656xx.
Others are Safty Hammerless 1st., 2nd, 3rd and 4th Models, a .38 Double Action Perfected Model,
a .32 Cal. Double Action 4th Model,, a .32 Hand Ejector 1st. Model, a .38 Safety Hammerless ( Z Bar)
Most of the guns are in V.G. plus with all numbers matching where they should.

The nicest gun is a .32 Hand Ejector 1st Model Double Action ( Model 1886) blue finish with 4 1/4" Barrel. S/N 144xx
The condition of this gun is Exc., If it was a modern revolver I would grade it at at least 97%

After all that, my question. My friend knows nothing about grading or pricing these guns and asked for my help. Not being an expert, I went to the SCSW 3rd Edition and tried to grade them according to the book.
I would like to know how close is the prices listed in the SCSW to what the guns might sell for.
For instance, The .32 Hand Ejector 1st model is listed as follows in SCSW
Good $ 325.00
V.G. 375.00
Fine 600.00
Exc. 800.00

A .38 Safety Hammerless 2nd Model 4" barrel, blue finish in V.G. is listed at $ 235.00 and 300.00 in fine.

How close are these figures to real world prices ??

Thanks for any help. Joe

 

[smith17]

Joe:
I have been ripped offline for going by that book when trying to determine value but I think it is the best out there since the values were updated and compiled about 1 year ago and then published in January of this year. Without spending a huge amount of time monitoring auction sites to determine what they are going for today, my belief is that you can go by those values and be reasonably sure you will not get ripped off or rip someone else off. My opinion.
Ed

 

[opoefc]

The values given in the SCSW, 3rd edit., are guidelines and you may find slight regional variations at gun shows and auction estimates, however they were estimated by very experienced individual collectors and dealers and were not just picked out of the sky, like in the Blue Book of Gun Values, for example. The SCSW values are about two to three yrs old now, but for the guns you describe, I haven't seen any great changes since then. Ed.

 

[H Richard]

Unfortunately, some uneducated buyers do pay the inflated prices, and then that starts sellers thinking that all XYZ similar models are worth the same. The SCSW 3rd edition is very practical in pricing, but sellers seem to want more than that, or try to inflate the condition. Condition is everything when trying to set a price.