If the bid starts at a penny for example and I bid $2500. The bid only goes up in increments. I may make one bid but by the time it sells It might show I bid 20 times.

I have done that, and hit a freaking homerun a couple of times! Every once in a while an auction item "falls through the cracks" and you almost literally steal an item.
It works in reverse sometimes when I'm selling.

What is the $65 original price for a quality gun in 1900 in today's $? That was a chunk of change back then.

Somewhere around $2000-$2500

Considering the fact that in 1900 it left the factory in brand new condition I wouldn't even venture a guess on the value of a 122 year old Parker in brand new condition. Only a well-advertised and well-attended auction would determine its value.

Putting it into perspective though, $65 in 1900 is $2292.88 in 2022.



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I've always found it interesting that the price of used collector guns fall somewhat in line with new guns of the same quality. We don't have an American double gun industry now, but if you look at the world market and compare, say, Browning and Beretta, to the used Parker market, their new guns pricewise cover about the gamut of original Parkers when new. In other words, this gun was sold at about the price of current entry level Browning and Beretta guns when adjusted for inflation. Decent mid level guns such as a G or D level were sold new at an adjusted price of $3000 to $5000. The same rough trend was true for the higher grades. To some degree they tend to sell now at the same level, due to scarcity; the scarcity covering the difference of used vs new.

There is no formula implied and there are of course adjustments for extreme condition or rarity in both directions, but I think that as a general rule the overall market falls in this range. A decent mid range Parker from 1900 sells at about the same range as a decent midrange Beretta or Browning new ad current prices.

One of the few instances where demand kept the market value constant in adjusted dollars, even neglecting use and wear.

$845.00 on Saturday afternoon.

That $65 was the "List Price." The actual net retail selling price was $48.75.

In my Parker order collection, I have seen PH grade guns for $22.00. It all means nothing. I would pay at least $23.00 for a new PH. Let's see what this one sells for. $905.00 at 5 PM Saturday. There is someone, and a competing bidder, who knows how rare a 26" cylinder and cylinder PH with retrofit Parker ejectors is worth. It could be a one of one. I wish I were buying guns, so I could outbid these bottomfeeders. The off color stripped stock can be fixed in about 20 minutes. The black Hawkins is a collector piece in itself. Good luck to the buyer.