Collection quandary

First of all, thanks for the input...I have collected M1 Garands for over 30 years and am thinking of parting with some of my better ones...No pics, but please bear in mind my collectors experience when I describe them to you. My problem is due to their rarity and condition, I cannot find any comparable on line or past sales from auction sites. First is a 1994 DCM Winchester, 1944, with paperwork, that is unissued and totally correct. Bear in mind that the purchase was made back in the good old days before the CMP “made” guns correct. It was one of the cover rifles, both Winchester that I owned, in the Spring, 2008 issue of the GCA and was covered in a four page article, with photos, in that issue. The second is a M1C, mint, purchased thru the Title 10 program back in the 80’s, again, totally correct, matching G&H numbered bracket, K-Line cheek pad, SA M2 Flash Hider, and a Mint M81, not 82, scope. I have a verification letter from the GCA regarding this rifle. It totally matches the M1C in page 319 of Duff’s reference, bbl date and serial numbers excepted. The third is an unissued M1D, from the first DCM lottery, with all accruments, SA Flash Hider, M-84 scoped, mint, cheek pad, etc, and paperwork. Last is a SA Type 2, NM, Mint, with all paper work. I know condition is subjective, but for sack of brevity and my having examined over 300 Garands over my years of collecting, assume my descriptions to be accurate. With all this in mind, what would be a fair price to ask. I would prefer to sell them to a fellow collector as opposed to a dealer, even if I may get a little less. Thank you again,for your input and assistance

I should have noted that the M1C is original WW2 configuration, not a post war or Korean War rework

Why not put them in an auction with a reserve set at the lowest that you are prepared to accept?

One downside to that is he would have to pay the auctioneer's commission on anything not sold based on the reserve price.

I pay around 6% in fees selling on GunBroker.

You are selling to a small market with those collectable rifles, also right now the market is soft especially around the holidays. I would wait a couple of months before trying to sell.
There is a seller on gunauction.com, his name is jackthedog. He has a large following and seems to get more money out of his auctions than any other sellers.

The Lottery M1D's with unopened assecories sell in the $4500 range , mint type II NM $3500 range

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Originally Posted by Orlando

You are selling to a small market with those collectable rifles, also right now the market is soft especially around the holidays. I would wait a couple of months before trying to sell.
There is a seller on gunauction.com, his name is jackthedog. He has a large following and seems to get more money out of his auctions than any other sellers.

The Lottery M1D's with unopened assecories sell in the $4500 range , mint type II NM $3500 range

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Thank you, Orlando...I knew a little about prices for the D and the NM, it’s the Win and the C that I need assistance with.

Sorry but I cant help you with those

I sold an M1C with the scope mount but no other accessories earlier this year. I wanna say it brought about $3,500.

It was in that neighborhood anyway.

The market is real soft right now on all m1's. I have a large collection an the one you have are way up in the 3500 to 4500 range at the least. That would be to a friend price. With a major auction house with all the providence that you have an the condition you could possibly double that price. Remember two bulls fighting. Best place to see is Gunbroker. most visited site on line.

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Originally Posted by rcathey

I sold an M1C with the scope mount but no other accessories earlier this year. I wanna say it brought about $3,500.

It was in that neighborhood anyway.

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Thanks for the info..was that one of the Greek returns? Big difference between them and an original WW2 c....

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Originally Posted by Bigbirdmqt

Thanks for the info..was that one of the Greek returns? Big difference between them and an original WW2 c....

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That’s a good question that I’m not equipped to answer.
Here’s the thread on it with pictures though: https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=66121&page=1

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Originally Posted by mmppres

The market is real soft right now on all m1's. I have a large collection an the one you have are way up in the 3500 to 4500 range at the least. That would be to a friend price. With a major auction house with all the providence that you have an the condition you could possibly double that price. Remember two bulls fighting. Best place to see is Gunbroker. most visited site on line.

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Thanks, kind of what I thought. I have had these for a minimum of 11 years for the most recent and going back from there. Most likely will have a severe case of sellers remorse if I get rid of the WIN and the C. I was told by the C expert in the GCA that there are most likely less than ten ORIGINAL, documented C’s in Collectors hands, especially mint ones with m-81 scopes. Kind of a nice delima to find oneself, I guess

I think anyone who has bought in the past 10 or so years has bought at the top of the market bubble. There just are going to be fewer and fewer collectors and shooters that want M-1s in the future. For a myriad of reasons. Though made in the millions with an almost unending supply from DCM and CMP since the 1970s, in the 2000s the internet brought an important aspect of competition and forums to show off the buys. The market went from $315 for DCM M-1s when I got mine in the 90s, to what, $1500 5 years ago? But I don't see the upward trend continuing, over the long haul.

With mid century esoteric collectibles you have two options if you see them as investments:
1. Sell when you think the market is high, do not wait to see if they'll do better in 5 years.
2. Hang on to them for a long period (15-25 years) on the chance they will be worth a lot in your old age. It worked for Pythons, but didn't work for Browning Auto-5s. Because number 1 above still applies.

If you bought high, recently, and want to sell higher, you have to find someone that doesn't believe everything I just wrote. I'm a pretty serious collector of many antiques, some worth 5 figures. These things do I know. But having the top level of rarity helps a lot. There are always buyers out there for the hard to find and cream of the crop. You just have to find them. As you are doing with this thread.

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Originally Posted by AZshot

I think anyone who has bought in the past 10 or so years has bought at the top of the market bubble. There just are going to be fewer and fewer collectors and shooters that want M-1s in the future. For a myriad of reasons. Though made in the millions with an almost unending supply from DCM and CMP since the 1970s, in the 2000s the internet brought an important aspect of competition and forums to show off the buys. The market went from $315 for DCM M-1s when I got mine in the 90s, to what, $1500 5 years ago? But I don't see the upward trend continuing, over the long haul.

With mid century esoteric collectibles you have two options if you see them as investments:
1. Sell when you think the market is high, do not wait to see if they'll do better in 5 years.
2. Hang on to them for a long period (15-25 years) on the chance they will be worth a lot in your old age. It worked for Pythons, but didn't work for Browning Auto-5s. Because number 1 above still applies.

If you bought high, recently, and want to sell higher, you have to find someone that doesn't believe everything I just wrote. I'm a pretty serious collector of many antiques, some worth 5 figures. These things do I know. But having the top level of rarity helps a lot. There are always buyers out there for the hard to find and cream of the crop. You just have to find them. As you are doing with this thread.

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One caveat that bears mentioning here: The younger generations that follow show very little interest in firearms such as this. To them, these are ancient weapons from an era well before they were born, a period that they cannot relate to. With that in mind, and the fact that those of us that DO relate to them are slowly fading into the sunset, I see the resale market for these becoming progressively smaller year after year. So sad.....

--728shooter

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Originally Posted by 728shooter

With that in mind, and the fact that those of us that DO relate to them are slowly fading into the sunset, I see the resale market for these becoming progressively smaller year after year.

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This is already very obvious in the price of trapdoors. Talk about a soft market.

Garands seem to be different from previous weapons... thanks to video games, even 14-year-olds know about the M1. Those games have a problem finding an acceptable enemy to kill... aliens are OK but kids don't seem to enjoy them as much as people. One group that is ALWAYS OK to kill is Nazis, the ultimate bad guys. That of course means WWII. If you add Zombie or Vampire to Nazi, you are good to go with as much slaughter as you want :)

The may not even know why the Germans were the enemy Bob but recognize zombies and the undead as a real threat. :sos:
Though I truly hope that the future generations whom follow us when we finally swing off this rock that they remember all those that went to every war to give us our freedoms we enjoy though I see elements that do not appreciate the sacrifices made and helping to at least combat terrorism that threatens our peace and safety each and every day.
I will never forget nor let my son forget just exactly what his granddad did with privations and never knowing if and when the enemy would come to bomb their airfields again where he served at overseas he was not a hero like some but he was my hero and my Dad considering he came from England in 1929 as a 16 y/o by himself to enlist 12 years later in the RAAF to be trained as an engine fitter gaining LAC rank by wars end.