Gun Appraisal

Blue Book of Gun Values

What is the name on the O/U?

The O/U can probably be done without bringing it anywhere. The old muskets, no good idea. There is a place in the French Quarter that deals in old muskets, but I don't know their reputation. The person for one might not be the person for the other, depending on rarity.

You looking to insured, sell, curiosity?

You know when the kids in the lunchroom would say: "That applesauce is terrible, let me have it." It's like that. Don't let anyone with a financial interest in a gun appraise it.

You will quickly find out that the VAST majority of firearms don't have much financial value. Like they say on Pawn Stars, just because it's old doesn't mean it's valuable.

BUT the rare firearm can be worth a butt load. So do some internet research, post some photos on sites and ask around. If you start getting offers to "take it off your hands" and/or feedback that it may be rare and/or valuable then PAY A PROFESSIONAL to do an appraisal.

James H. Cohen and Sons, Royal Street, NOLA has been around forever and knows their stuff but I don't know if they do appraisals. As far as pre-1900 firearms though, they have quite the inventory.

Can you post some pics? What is written on the old muskets?

Lets see some pics

quote:

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You know when the kids in the lunchroom would say: "That applesauce is terrible, let me have it." It's like that. Don't let anyone with a financial interest in a gun appraise it.

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This is pretty much true for anything of supposed value....When you look at it one way. However, here's another way of looking at it. I learned this a long time ago with "collectible items" and frankly, that is exactly what an old gun is.

A collectible has two values. The amount of money someone is willing to pay you for it, and the amount of money you're willing to sell it for. Those can be very different. Everyone knows that an appraised value doesn't mean that's what you can sell it for.

Let's say you have a gun that gets appraised for $2K. You shop around on every website and advertise it in the gun publications and run around the country to the real collectors of fine guns and the best offer you can get it $1500. How much is that gun worth? Now throw another wrench in....Let's say you happen to know the story behind that gun and it was your great great grand-father's gun and he once defended his farm from 2 would be murderers when your great-great grandmother was pregnant for your grandfather thereby allowing you to actually exist. In your mind, that gun has significant value to you and your family and it would take an offer many many times even the appraised value to make you think about selling it. Now how much is the gun worth?

When you think about it, that last scenario kinda makes it worth nothing, in terms of dollars. If you can't find anyone in the world willing to pay you what you want for it, the dollar value is zero.