Optimizing sale price

[RangeRover]

My review of the "how to use this forum" posting would seem to indicate this is the place to ask my question, so please bear with me if not.

I have been asked to investigate, on behalf of an organization, how to sell a relatively unique handgun to generate funds to support their ongoing operations. (My apologies for being cryptic but it needs to stay that way for now).

This firearm has a fairly interesting Canadian/British military history behind it and the few similar firearms seen on vendor sites seem to be selling for between US$1500 and $2500.

My question to those here...many or all of whom I assume have been active buyers and sellers of firearms...is where and how best to list and sell this firearm in a way that maximizes the return for the organization in question. ALL proceeds will be going to the organization in question.

The few comparables available make it difficult to set a fixed price, so I'm thinking an auction, with reserve, is the best way to go. I also want to ensure the firearm is seen by and potentially bid on by as broad a geographic audience as possible. Online auction site or one of the leading auction houses?

With this limited information, I'm hoping to get some consensus from the members of this forum as to which route to take.

Thank you in advance.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Gibbs505]

Well, first of all, I would make sure that as much of that history is confirmed and documented!

[RangeRover]

Well, first of all, I would make sure that as much of that history is confirmed and documented!

Agreed. The organization has civilian paperwork for the firearm back to '45 as well as the military records prior to that.

Once a decision has been made by the organization as to how to proceed I'll post more details on Milsurps.

Thanks for any assistance.

[Maple_Leaf_Eh]

The most active (for page views) is Canadian Gun Nutz. Their forums are much wider ranging than this forum, and that attracts more potential buyers. There are real auctioneers who will expose the gun to their mailing lists, but they certainly don't have hundreds or thousands of daily visitors.

[browningautorifle]

Why are you bringing back such archaic threads? 2009?

[Aragorn243]

So I guess we never did find out the handgun in question? Now I'm interested not noticing it was three years old.

[RangeRover]

As the OP, I can provide an update. The firearm in question was a British-contract Ballester Molina (the actual pistol shown in the Knowledge Library here) that came with provenance linking it to a decorated member of the RCAF on station with an RAF Squadron flying aircraft in support of the SOE and French and Dutch resistance.

In the end the pistol was listed here and on CGN, and sold very quickly.

[JGaynor]

Range Rover jjst out of curiosity did you decide to use the auction with reserve method or a straight listing for sale?

Regards,
Jim

[RangeRover]

In the end I opted for a straight listing for sale.