S&W Autoloaders aren't collectable?

[mbliss57]

Don't look now but there is a 147A (Model 59 like pistol) for sale somewhere out there that just went north of $3K. I doubt it's even close to being done either. Everything is collectable. Some collections are just more valuable than others. It's only the 2nd one I have seen for sale in past 2 years. And the other went went for over $3.5K .. in 2017!

 

[Well Armed]

Gunbroker?

 

[jughed440]

I've never heard of that model until this morning. Had to do a search for info.
This fairly recent ad gives some good history behind it.

S&W 147A for sale

 

[Telecaster]

So true, I collect belly button lint but it's not valuable.

"Collectable" means you like it. "Valuable" means someone else likes it.

Or, "collectable" means you want to keep it, "valuable" means you want to sell it.

 

[Justin T]

So true, I collect belly button lint but it's not valuable.

"Collectable" means you like it. "Valuable" means someone else likes it.

Or, "collectable" means you want to keep it, "valuable" means you want to sell it.

Couldn’t have said it better. With a handle like “Telecaster” I’m sure you are very famiiar with both.

 

[BAM-BAM]

"Collectable" means you like it. "Valuable" means someone else likes it.

.

I like that distinction !!!!!!!!

 

[Telecaster]

Couldn’t have said it better. With a handle like “Telecaster” I’m sure you are very famiiar with both.

In about 1983 I got a '79 Tele (I think... that was before it was easy to look up serial numbers, and I bought it used). I found a vintage Tele pickup at a local guitar store and since I liked the twang of the original 1950s pickups I bought it and put it in. I asked the salesman if it was a Fender model, and he was a sarcastic prick who thought I was an idiot. "No, it's a Gibson Telecaster pickup," he said. I was young and unaccustomed to being abused by salesmen, but my concern was that it was from a Japanese copy, which in those days was a bad thing.

I bought it, installed it, and loved it for about a decade. When I sold most of my guitars, the guy who bought my Telecaster called me to bitch about the pickup. I'd claimed it was authentic vintage Fender because the store salesman said so. The buyer said no it isn't, it's a cheap Japanese copy.

Doh!

So yeah, I do understand it pretty well.

 

[gmborkovic]

Im confused, are we talking 147s or Fenders? If you are a auto collector, it is a must have. I have only seen two. Im going to have to take a look at it.

 

[JLM3rdGen]

So true, I collect belly button lint but it's not valuable.

"Collectable" means you like it. "Valuable" means someone else likes it.

Or, "collectable" means you want to keep it, "valuable" means you want to sell it.

I like it! Just like want and need! Honey I did not say I need that gun...

 

[jag22]

As soon as I see rare in the description I just move on. The seller is usually blinded thinking he has something super valuable. That being said, that dealer always seems to have extra, extra nice Smiths and they always draw big money.

 

[Sevens]

It's only the 2nd one I have seen for sale in past 2 years. And the other went went for over $3.5K .. in 2017!

My records indicate that one sold on GB on May 31, 2018. Open was $3,200 but it sold at $3,500 via Buy It Now.

 

[one eye joe]

I DON'T OWN ONE---BUT IMHO, THE M39-2 IN NICKEL IS CORGEOUS ! ! !

I BELIEVE IT TO BE HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE...

 

[Sevens]

As soon as I see rare in the description I just move on. The seller is usually blinded thinking he has something super valuable.

Your shopping opportunities may be awfully bland in life if you shop online and you truly, honestly write off a potential purchase because one over-used selling buzzword happens to be added.

Further, I guess I can't understand why you say this about THIS particular pistol, of which Roy Jinks has confirmed is absolutely "RARE" on any possible scale argued by absolutely anyone. Over 347,000 units of Model 39-2 were produced and this 147-A from the same era is one of a hundred and twelve that S&W records indicate.

If it had a Buy-It-Now of $400, would you refuse to purchase it because a nationally known dealer called it "rare" ?! Or did I lose something in translation.

We haven't really defined terms... one that I often use is "scarce." In a world where the 5906 was made in the many tens of thousands if not many hundreds of thousands, only a couple thousand of the Model 3906 exist. I totally love the two that I am lucky to have found. I don't call the 3906 rare, I prefer the term scarce, but the details of these terms as used in discussion or more to the point -- as used in a sale or auction haven't been explicitly defined.

As we all seem to love 3rd Gens, I would suggest that if you happen across a 3906 and the price is fair, I wouldn't skip it just because the seller calls it "rare."

 

[lkabug]

So true, I collect belly button lint but it's not valuable.

"Collectable" means you like it. "Valuable" means someone else likes it.

Or, "collectable" means you want to keep it, "valuable" means you want to sell it.

Where does accumulation come into the lexicon?

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Where does accumulation come into the lexicon?

I think that's when you have an eclectic "collection" of firearms, some of them appear to be organized but the rest are just shooters that you like. Then you are a proud accumulator.

I self identify that way all of the time!

 

[mbliss57]

My records indicate that one sold on GB on May 31, 2018. Open was $3,200 but it sold at $3,500 via Buy It Now.

Here is a thread quoting 2 sales one in 2012 and one in 2013. Both at $3.6K.. you have to read the whole thread to pick out the detail.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-...ols/349310-s-w-model-147a.html?highlight=147A

And this one from 2017 at $3575.. Sevens this is your quote..Thats where I got the 2017 date from. Post #2.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-semi-auto-pistols/526583-model-147a.html?highlight=147A

So (SEVENS)you say you know of another in 2018 at $3.6K. If that is correct the $3.6K seems like a pretty solid number from 2012, 2013, 2017 and 2018. I would hope this gun would stay at about that. (Since I don't have one yet)
This seller/ dealer seems to be able to extract top dollar from his auctions. He is a well known collector and expert in his own right.

It is interesting to me how certain guns are rare but not valuable and others are. The Model of 1913 .35 cal or Model 35 for instance. Less than 8,500 produced. S&Ws 1st successful semi automatic pistol. They would not make another until 1956 when the Pre model 39 came out. This was made over 100 years ago...yet they sell for under $500.
Then a Colt 1911 from the same WW1 era is worth 3 to 4 times that. They made over 2 million of them!

 

[Sevens]

I try my best to keep tabs on the guns I'm most interested in, and when they end I simply take screen shots with my phone. So that last data point from May 31, 2018 is as accurate as Gunbroker reports. There are always going to be some that I miss, but I'm sure about the ones that I see.

The ones that many of us can always easily miss are the potentially valuable guns with the low buy it now price that gets snatched up fast before anyone sees it.

 

[mbliss57]

I see it is over $4K now. So much for a $3.6K ceiling. With that breech I predict it will hit the $5K mark now. Personally I don't see it as a collectable gun worth that kind of money. Its basically just a steel frame model 59. But then I would have no issue paying that much for a Registered Magnum. So to each their own. In a more comparative context I have a steel frame Model 539 and did have a 559 both quite scarce as far as production numbers go. Under 10K units yet they sell between $500 and $800 condition depending. Even a very scarce / rare steel frame model 39 is a $2K to maybe $2.5K gun. Only 927 produced. I believe I bought mine 4 years ago for around $1500 with box and docs. It's all very speculative to me. I think buying this gun now at these prices is very risky in terms of holding its value over 20 years. it is just as likely to be worth $200 20 years from now when all SW 1st -3rd gen pistols have owners in their 70 -80s and are trying to unload their collections. Of course JMO!

 

[gmborkovic]

Your posts seems to be centered on dollar appreciation rather than the fun of adding a nice new, low production pistol to the collection. I can appreciate the point of buying with an eye on a future pay day. As a retired full time FFL dealer you have to buy with that view. But as a deep pocketed collector, the neat factor prevails. I have viewed the pics and it is neat. The owner will receive his payday. Will it go higher? Yes , if the two top bidders get into a bit of a heated war.

 

[mbliss57]

Your posts seems to be centered on dollar appreciation rather than the fun of adding a nice new, low production pistol to the collection. I can appreciate the point of buying with an eye on a future pay day. As a retired full time FFL dealer you have to buy with that view. But as a deep pocketed collector, the neat factor prevails. I have viewed the pics and it is neat. The owner will receive his payday. Will it go higher? Yes , if the two top bidders get into a bit of a heated war.

Your point is well taken.
However, I would not buy it because it had a low number produced. I think it's just an ugly steel model 59.
My point would be, unlike a beautiful S&W blued or nickeled P&R revolver from the 1930-1980s... which to my eyes are pieces of art.. Model 59s with its plastic grips are just butt ugly. They were never built with any aesthetics. Function only. The 1st Gen Model 39s are quite nice to look at. Even the 2nd Gen 39 series at least had wood grips on them. But this is only valuable because it has a low number produced and some other intangible factor I can't figure out and likely never will. If someone wants it in their collection then that is absolutely their prerogative. (Based on price some obviously do) I just don't see the draw.