What should I expect to pay for a NICE VH Parker these days?

[Ian Civco]

Nice, meaning 95% plus, nearly all case colouring present, pistol grip, 26” or 28” barrels. 12 gauge, and then 16 gauge.

Not what is being asked, but what is a good deal for me, or at least fair to buyer and seller?

I can always look on the internet and see what Steve Barnett and others are ASKING for these, or what someone who wants it NOW, but what is realistic? A bargain? And overpriced? Vs nosebleed RETAIL, which is on the internet.

[Brian Dudley]

I am asking $3000 for a very high condition VH 12g with 30” barrels.

Over 10 years ago I sold a similar condition 16g for $4500.

[Brian Dudley]

XXX

[David C Porter]

Go to Gunbroker & look at the completed items. You can see actual selling price, & over priced guns that no one bid on. In the for sale listings there are many that are over priced & sit there for ever. They're only worth what they're actually selling for.

https://www.gunbroker.com/all/search/completed

[Reggie Bishop]

How many 95%+ guns show up on Gunbroker? I don't visit Gunbroker site but I don't imagine many 95%+ guns show up there.

[David C Porter]

As far as I know Gunbroker is the only site that lists completed sale prices. If you know of other sites that lists completed sales prices please let us know. I look at almost all of the gun sites & especially like Guns International, but they don't list completed sale prices. Most Dealers will list on multiple sites. The bottom line is you need to educate yourself on what a fair price is before you make a purchase.

[Clark McCombe]

I bought one Trojan 12 ga on gunbroker. 1 paid $800, to get my feet wet. I didn’t know what I was doing but turned out to be very lucky. Gun is solid and a good shooter on the farm. Not afraid to carry it around in the tractor.
Otherwise I’ve bought 2 more higher grade guns here from members.
I felt very confident. I’d rather pay a little more here and feel I could easily talk to the person I was buying from. And besides, I’ve made a couple of friends, didn’t just hand over a credit card number.

[Brian Dudley]

The bottom line is you need to educate yourself on what a fair price is before you make a purchase.



More importantly you have to educate yourself what a 95% or better gun actually looks like and then decide if the asking price is what you want to pay.

Price is always subjective. But originality and condition is not.

[Daniel Carter]

Long before i knew of the PGCA i had the chance to buy a 100% Parker VH. I turned it down because i thought it had been re-done.I have since learned better.
Josh might be a source to find what you are looking for. He will have an idea of what is available and what it is worth. He probably has a better understanding of the market than anyone.
The price was $1500 and i kick myself daily.

[Andrew Sacco]

I bought a 28" VHE 12g Turnbull restored gun for $3500 from a dealer, but his original asking price was $4500. That was a year ago. I don't care if it was restored and I personally suck at determining "really original" from "maybe original" from "original with a re-blue done right 50 years ago"...etc. In the end if I like it and the price seems to not hurt me too bad I buy it. I am envious of guys who pick up a gun and just "know."

[Ian Civco]

Well, does $2925.60 for each sound fair?

Both definitely original, 95% at least, maybe a bit more, the usual scratches and dings from having been used, but not much.

12 gauge and 16 gauge look neatly identical but the 16 gauge, despite little use, has a crack forming in the upper tang.

Both are what they are supposed to be in the Parker book.

That’s what they would have cost me IF I could have gotten them for $2400 each at auction. I bid both up a bit, and both sold for $2300 each which, for me, would have been $2803.70.

There also was a 12 gauge with a vented rib that the Parker book has listed, but not with the rib. Rest was in the book, including straight grip. Not quite as nice as the other 12 gauge, hammered at $5600, which was $6,826.40 had I gotten it.

None seemed to me incredible bargains. But maybe some meat on the bone as to what is fair. But asking prices are all over the place, and I’m a whore when it comes to paying for something. No offense to anyone, but most dealers are (although one with the initials JL treated me really well in the past). I know they have to make a living, too, but I’m just not a retail kind of guy.

Edit: All 3 have letters on them, but not with them now. It would have been fun to win all three and letter them.��

[Dean Weber]

Ian,
I am trying to understand your point. Are you trying to understand value or are you trying to understand the results of said auction? My point is there a couple emotions after an auction. If you win, you question whether you paid too much. If you are not on the winning side, we often see questioning of whether we were not aggressive enough. I am aware of the auction you are referencing. All 3 guns were high condition guns. IMHO, all were fair values, if not bargains.

[Ian Civco]

Ian,
I am trying to understand your point. Are you trying to understand value or are you trying to understand the results of said auction? My point is there a couple emotions after an auction. If you win, you question whether you paid too much. If you are not on the winning side, we often see questioning of whether we were not aggressive enough. I am aware of the auction you are referencing. All 3 guns were high condition guns. IMHO, all were fair values, if not bargains.

My question was with regards to being aggressive enough. I think they were fair value, but not bargains, but what’s fair to bid up to? One more bid and then the next bid would be over 3k. Sure, a dealer is going to put $5500 on those two, but how long will he sit on them and what will he really get for them?

I like to get a bargain at auction. I can pay fair price or retail elsewhere.

Everyone keeps on saying gun prices have peaked, expect a slide. I’m not seeing it. And 12 gauges are not as popular anymore. So not even sure if that’s a 3k gun anymore.

[Ian Civco]

BTW, these were sitting at well under 2k for the longest time, I was hoping that they wouldn’t move much and 2k or less might snag them. Usually, the spread between pre bidding and eventual hammer price isn’t that great.

[David Noble]

It's difficult (and a bit naive) to think you can get "bargain" prices on guns that are near benchmark condition at an auction.
And you better damn well know how to judge original Parker case colors as compared to fairly close match by some refinisher.

[Ian Civco]

It's difficult (and a bit naive) to think you can get "bargain" prices on guns that are near benchmark condition at an auction.
And you better damn well know how to judge original Parker case colors as compared to fairly close match by some refinisher.

Well, these were supposedly from a local family in which the father or grandfather accumulated nice stuff decades ago and it hadn’t seen the light of day since then. Offered at a small auction house. I don’t know whether to post links or not.

Frankly, auctions suck ever since the internet. Anyone with a wallet and an internet connection can play the game.

It was so much better when the bidders usually were only those within the four hallowed walls of the auction house and you thought it dirty pool of someone who wasn’t there left an absentee bid.

[Clark McCombe]

In the late 60’s through the 70’s I went to hundreds of farm auctions with my father.
All good experiences. Saw the same friends, met new ones and sometimes happened upon a treasure .

[Scott Smith]

It appears that expections of low prices simply because items are offered at auction, together with an unwillingness to pay fair market prices for quality Parkers, is not a winning strategy.

Take comfort in the fact that there are still opportunities to acquire high condition Parkers in today's Guyette & Deeter auction.

[Garry L Gordon]

You still have to decide -- and be honest with yourself -- if you're really "collecting" bargains or guns. Sometimes you get both, but not often.

[Ian Civco]

It appears that expections of low prices simply because items are offered at auction, together with an unwillingness to pay fair market prices for quality Parkers, is not a winning strategy.

Take comfort in the fact that there are still opportunities to acquire high condition Parkers in today's Guyette & Deeter auction.

Guyette & Deeter, which is Josh Loewenstein, has amazing stuff!

[Andrew Sacco]

This is heading down the path of, "Are you a collector?" or "What is a collector?"

[Jay Oliver]

I think Gary has it right: You still have to decide -- and be honest with yourself -- if you're really "collecting" bargains or guns. Sometimes you get both, but not often.

A lot of people are more about the deal than the gun.

If you find a great Parker you like that fits and has all the details you want I don't think you will be thinking how much you paid for it while you are enjoying it.

When I have paid full retail for something I couldn't live without I always end up having the same feeling as time goes by...happy I got it!

I am not suggesting being careless with money, just don't be afraid to pay up for a really nice gun.

[Clark McCombe]

I just received word that I was successful on an auction bid.
Maybe paid a little more than I had hoped, but I realized this auction came with high praise for their descriptions and I can’t wait to see my new Parker !

[Kevin McCormack]

Hammer prices from this morning's session at G&D auction:

VERY high condition Parker VH 20 ga. = $6K
' ' ' ' Trojan 20 ga. = $3250

Then there is the "rare earth" category"

Parker A-1 Special double trap with all the bells & whistles = $180K
" AAHE 12 ga. + $28,500
" VHE 28 ga. skeet gun = $55K
" " .410 " " = $55K

And don't forget to add 20%!

[Bill Murphy]

The G&D auction was great entertainment.