Value Going Forward

[Mark Callanan]

Originally Posted by Pete Lester

I do not mean to be flip with this answer.

Learn what original condition is.

Learn what is rare and uncommon.

Learn what is high desirable to collectors.

Learn what current market value is based on those factors.

When you know these things you will know the value of a particular gun, whether it is a deal, or regardless of what you pay if it will appreciate.

Collecting Parker's requires an education, education usually costs some money because the best way to learn about them is to own them as well as study them.

One last piece of advice, buy guns that fit and "speak to you", guns that you will enjoy owning and using, don't look at them first as an investment. Look at them as something will use and enjoy for a long time. Get good advice so that you don't grossly overpay or buy something that is not original or messed up. If you do that you will satisfied from day one forward with any Parker no matter what.

Just my .02

Peter
As always thanks for your answer
Please look at the question I asked
see you soon at mad bury

Mark

[Mark Callanan]

Originally Posted by John Dallas

In my experience, investing in commodities like guns, fly rods, cars is a tough way to go. If you take into account the time required to become knowledgeable, the costs involved (ie gun safes or garages) and the discount your family will probably incur to sell your treasures when you pass, there must be better alternatives.
On the other hand, it ain't much fun to sit in your man cave and fondle a stock certificate

Amen to that
The older you get the joy you enjoy holding and looking at you investments

[Bill Zachow]

Buy rare, buy condition and buy early. This applies to all collector guns. The biggest "bang for the buck" is in classic Winchesters for rifles, Colts for pistols and Parkers for classic double barreled shotguns. The price or value of top condition "field" grade guns tends to be higher on Winchesters and Colts than Parkers due to the much greater demand. For every Parker collector there are at least 100 Winchester collectors and 50 Colt collectors. High grade, special ordered guns from all three makers tend to be very similarly priced or valued. As Bill said. small bore and large bore (.410, 28, and 8) parkers tend to be the highest priced when same grades are compared. The same tends to hold true for rifles and pistols. A 50/110 Winchester 86 is worth at least 3 or 4 times as much as a .33. Find an original .22 single action army and you have value multiple times over a .38. The reason is the same for all three makes. They all made a lot fewer big uns and little uns.

[Bill Murphy]

Parkers, Parkers, Parkers. Winchesters and Colts are a different world with way different rates of appreciation. Leave them out of this discussion.

[Bill Zachow]

Why? Very few of us only collect Parkers and the same rules of valuation apply to all makes of collectable firearms.

[ed good]

when collecting guns for investment, there are two magic words:

Colt and Winchester.

shotguns are traditional not good investments.

[C grade]

This is a great discussion with comments by some very knowledgeable Parkerites. I completely agree with Pete,Brian,Robin,Edgar and Bill and suggest you really study their statements. Personally I have found small gage high conditions Parkers that I have owned have appreciated the most, by far. I think it is very difficult to make a decent profit on guns purchased from dealers. I would purchase the highest grade, high condition small bore that I could afford but condition over grade. The other thing is be patient.
JMHO
David

[Bill Murphy]

Of course, Zachow is right. Putting Colts and Winchesters into the discussion will educate us all. But they are so different from shotguns in that almost any special order feature or almost any interesting provenance will put their value into the stratosphere. Not so much with shotguns unless the provenance is off the scale.

[Mark Callanan]

David
So a VHE in 80% would be better then a DHE in 60% all other things equal?
Also I agree listen to all that try and help
Thats why I asked here
Where could you get better answers
We are lucky to have you all

Thanks….

[edgarspencer]

Originally Posted by Mark Callanan

So a VHE in 80% would be better then a DHE in 60% all other things equal?
.

While finding a VH in 80% condition may be somewhat difficult, being the 'working' gun, almost 80,000 V grade hammerless guns compared to less than 18,000 D grade hammerless gun would still make a D in 60% worth more to me than an 80% V. Also, the distinction in quantifying condition is often very fuzzy, at best