100 year Commemorative

[Malygris]

Does anyone plan on buying a commemorative this year? I've been reading about all the different offerings, seems everyone has a 100th available this year.

I was wanting to get one as an investment piece, but didn't really expect to - but found myself hitting the Buy It Now on a Colt a couple nights ago. The next day, I kept getting those butterfly doubts - did I do the right thing type of feelings. But now I'm excited. I've been wanting a Commemorative of some sort since last year when all the 100th birthday hype started, so I'm glad I went ahead and went for it.

This one isn't one of the fancy engraved models with a gold trigger - it's just a rather plain Jane WW2 replica with some special text on the side that qualifies it as a commemorative. It has a Series 70 firing system. I always said I'd never buy a Colt because of all the talk of how their quality as dipped over the years and you are kind of just buying the name at this point - but this is a special handgun, at a special time in it's history - and I think Colt was the way to go on this one. At least for me. This may possibly be the only Colt 1911 I'll ever buy.

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[Johnny Peppers]

Just my opinion, but I would put my money in a nice original Colt 1911 rather than a commemorative. The commemoratives don't have a good track record as an investment, but if you want to own one just enjoy it for what it is.

[Mohawk]

Buy a Thompson Auto Ordnance .45 and shoot the heck out of it, Mine has been with me for 26 Years now. Been through numerous combat engagements with it, and it has never let me down once...JMHO...

[Malygris]

I've already got a good shooter, an all stainless Springfield improved mil-spec. Love it. Nary a problem. This one was just a special one for me, more of an investment. This is the first time I've ever bought a firearm from purely an investment stand point. No - the second. I did buy two of the PPS43c pistols from Poland at $349 each, and sold one for $475 to help defray the cost of the other. I bought it with the intention to sell it quickly tho'. This colt I plan to keep. May pay for a semester of college for my 15 mo one day, who knows.

[Malygris]

My shooter. Not my pic, but identical to it.

[zaskar]

... This one was just a special one for me, more of an investment. This is the first time I've ever bought a firearm from purely an investment stand point. .... May pay for a semester of college for my 15 mo one day, who knows.

That is a poor choice for an investment. The original M1911 and M1911A1s are collectible because they were once USP and were sidearms for our soldiers in a time of war. The original government model Colts from early 1900 are collectibles because they are close to 100 years old.
I know it may have been partly in jest, but you gave a time table of 17 years until college, so I will just round that up to 20.
It is now 2011. How much appreciation has occurred on Colts made from 1991?
Lets take a look at the Colts made in the 50s. These are selling for close to 2K in mint condition, but that took 60 years.

If you want to invest in something, choose something else besides a pistol.

[Malygris]

If you want to invest in something, choose something else besides a pistol.

Like what, the stock market, hoho!

Here's a question. What did say a standard Colt Series 80 cost in 1991, and what is an identical one NIB worth today?

I got the Colt in, nice piece.

[jeep]

The Colts are good and all machined barstock and forgings. Colts are the real McCoy! Don,t settle for wanne-be,s. I have and carry a New Model 1911-1918 model from a year or so ago. I trust my life on it and carry it box-stock every day in a Galco Concealment holster. Pure 1911 the way Mr. John Browning made it. Everything you need and nothing you don,t. Colt 1911 perfection. Don,t drink the Kool aid from the lesser companys.

[Mohawk]

Picked up a Remington-Rand shooter last weekend. Someone had painted it black. Stripping off the black paint and bluing it, as there is no finish left on it, what-so-ever. I plan on shooting the heck out of this one, as it is nice and tight. Paid $375. Not a collector grade on by any means, But it will suffice as My 100 Year Commemorative....That and the serial number is My birthday..Lots of irony with this one....

[oldcanuck]

I will commemorate the birthday of the M1911 by buying another first year production 1912 M1911 for my collection. As mentioned earlier, commemorative examples are very poor investments, with zero history. If your'e planning on collecting something, it helps if it's the real thing.