Revolver of interest, opinions

[wproct]

Hi,
Was visiting my local shop this morning, and saw a fellow bring a revolver in looking to sell. He was a former Iowa State Trooper, and he bought it new in 1985. It was an Iowa State Patrol 50th anniversary commemorative model in a walnut presentation box, was a highly polished blued Smith & Wesson 4"bbl 586. It had gold filling on the cylinder and also the state trooper emblem with his badge number etched in gold on the frame. The cylinder had never been opened and no turn line on the cylinder. Hammer and trigger were of highly polished stainless steel. The original grips on it were high grained smooth target style grips.

It was a very attractive revolver, but I had no idea what the value might be. Any opinions?

Thanks, guys.

 

[Maximumbob54]

Most of these type threads get the answer back as you value it what it would be worth as a non-commemorative model and then either go up or down on if you like what it is commemorating.

My guess, in LNIB condition I would think $1K would be about it. There are those that would pay much more and there are those that won't even buy them. Most of the commemorative models I see sit a real long time until either the right buyer finally shows up or the LGS says priced to move...

 

[Bat Guano]

You might do a search on LE commemoratives. The most pertinent discussion seems to be the 1974 Border Patrol commemoratives. Last time the consensus was that with all the trimmings they were worth around $600 plus or minus. Their value, as always, was highest with those who had a connection to that agency. Beyond them there really isn't that much interest and definitely no utility beyond any other gun of that model. The old Adam Smith equation of supply and demand. Demand is minimal.

Some people are mostly unmoved by commemoratives. I seem to be one of them.

 

[wproct]

Thanks for the replies, guys. I did do a search on "LE Commemoratives" and that was interesting reading. This revolver that I saw was really a nice package and I would have loved to have owned it, but I just can't stand to own something that I really shouldn't shoot. The fellow who owned it indicated that it was going to take something north of $800 to buy it. It was a nice piece, but just not in my budget. Thanks again.

 

[.357magger]

You might do a search on LE commemoratives. The most pertinent discussion seems to be the 1974 Border Patrol commemoratives. Last time the consensus was that with all the trimmings they were worth around $600 plus or minus. Their value, as always, was highest with those who had a connection to that agency. Beyond them there really isn't that much interest and definitely no utility beyond any other gun of that model. The old Adam Smith equation of supply and demand. Demand is minimal.

Some people are mostly unmoved by commemoratives. I seem to be one of them.

Excellent post.

 

[k22fan]

I own a couple of commemoratives and had a couple others in the past, so this opinion is at least based on a smidgen of experience. Older commemoratives that do not offer significantly different features than the production version of the same gun are worth less than the same age standard version if both are NIB. By significant features I mean things like a different barrel length or caliber, not just decoration. NIB commemoratives sell for about the same price as the production version in about 90-95% condition. The collector of unfired commemoratives seems to be a mythical creature. I've only seen people buy them to get a caliber or barrel length or barrel contour they wanted bad enough to over look the decorations, or the price was right for a shooter.

There's going to be exceptions of course. It seems reasonable that a LEO or retired one might want their department's commemorative but you'd be very lucky to find that buyer.

 

[Goony]

I've got to agree with the above evaluations of the market on these. Back in 1995 when the SWCA 25th Anniversary 29-6 (Product Code 101287) was offered, there were less than 150 takers, well short of a full subscription to the planned production run. That speaks to the general attitude of real collectors towards anything made up as a "collectible."

 

[NFrameFred]

Have to agree with the previous posts. Anything produced specially to be "collectible" usually isn't.

Look at what Topps and other companies did to the baseball card market. How many folks are sitting on unopened boxed sets of these things waiting for them to become "priceless" ?

Ain't gonna happen. And if some superstar player emerged during a year when his rookie card or whatnot happened to be in a set, it still won't go up much since thousands and thousands of sets sold to be kept in pristine condition exist.

The reason most of the old cards that sell for mega-bucks do is that practically none survived.

I think the only real market for commemorative LEO guns is from young officers coming up in the department that would value the connection and weren't on the force when the guns were originally offered. The cops I knew that bought their department commemoratives hoping to cash in on a 'rare collectible' have all been sorely disappointed that no one seems to want to give them anything for their prize.