Help with Colt 1911 value / price

[Mercula]

So my old man is thinking about selling his 70 series 1911 after having it forever and never firing it. He bought this a long time ago , and was sold to him as unfired. Its nickel plated. Disregard the mags in the box. But comes with the box and all. Any idea what he should be able to get out of it ?

[eddiememphis]

Put it on Gun Broker. He may be surprised if a bidding war ensues. Auction fever makes people stupid.

[Doc45]

To the right buyer I'd say $1200+. 1911s seem a little softer here at least along the front range. Check out 1911Addicts.com, lots of very knowledgeable folks there along with many of the country's premier 1911 gunsmiths. You do have to run up a post count before posting a gun for sale but you may get an idea of what 1911s, especially 70 series Colts, go for around the country. If you don't want mind shipping there's always Gunbroker (eddie beat me to the punch) where the market will determine the sale price. Things are still going crazy over there for "older" stuff.

[Bailey Guns]

Prices for Series 70 Colts are all over the place.

Personally, I'd say that gun was worth somewhere in the $1000 to $1200 range. But that's just my opinion. I buy and sell a lot of Colts and many people seem to think they're mostly made of gold when they want to sell them. And some buyers do, too...so there's that. Colt pistols almost always keep their value and many command some pretty premium prices.

Just as a reference, I bought a Colt 1911 Classic Series 70 a week ago for $795. It's brand new, current production. Colt was making a standard series 70 model a few years ago that sold for maybe slightly more than that...$800 to $900. That's new production, though. An original, older gun like that should fetch a little more.

I'd put it on GunBroker and see where it goes. You can always set a reserve price if you're worried about pricing it too low. I looked at recently sold series 70 guns on GunBroker and again, prices were all over the place. Of the fairly standard guns that did sell, $800 to $1200 was about the average, depending on condition.

It's a nice gun.


ETA: I see Doc45 posted while I was typing. He seems to know his Colts.

[Doc45]

Thanks Bailey, I grew up on 1911s lol, always been my preferred handgun, over 50 years with it now, for most of the 70s and 80s I carried a lightweight Commander daily.

[Bailey Guns]

[Beer]

I always look forward to your new acquisitions in the photo threads. :)

I gave my son a Kimber Warrior after his first deployment.

Sorry for the thread-jack, Mercula. But I think Doc45 is correct on the softness of the market for 1911s. Unless it's something REALLY special.

[Mercula]

It’s all good BG , thank you everyone for the help. I’ve been pushing him to sell it or shoot the damn thing for well over a decade.

[UncleDave]

If you want to get top dollar get an archive letter from Colt. Did it originally come in the presentation box? If not do you have the original box, it can make a big difference.

[bczandm]

Original nickel series 70 pistols (not recent mfg) are bringing premiums over blued pistols, especially unfired examples that have minimum handling marks. The box shown in the photo doesn't add much but the factory carboard box will if serial numbered to the gun and has the Styrofoam inserts and paperwork . I also doubt those grips are original to the gun, most were shipped with wood grips. The nickel color looks a bit funky but that may be the photo more than the gun...nickel guns are so hard to get good photos done! Above mentioned prices seem about right to me unless the gun is exceptionally nice. I have a nickel series 70 that is excellent but has a few very minor marks on the top of the slide, I doubt mine would bring much over a $1000.

[Mercula]

Thanks fellas. No original box. Came in the case. I let him know what to expect.

[def90]

Yeah, Gunbroker penny start no reserve auctions bring out the idiots with more money than sense. Take a lot of quality detailed pics, start the auction at $.01 with no reserve, let it run for 2 weeks and have it end on a Sunday evening. Probably get way more than any rational person would ever guess.

[Doc45]

Like ^! And apologies as well for my drift earlier.

[Aardvark]

Quick look in GB shows prices from $800 (still bidding) up to several thousands (buy now). Satin, high polish, varying nickel finishes and conditions. Gunsinternational shows high prices also. Research more before you commit to selling. I'd say yours is easily low $2ks

[sroz]

Quick look in GB shows prices from $800 (still bidding) up to several thousands (buy now). Satin, high polish, varying nickel finishes and conditions. Gunsinternational shows high prices also. Research more before you commit to selling. I'd say yours is easily low $2ks

Did you do an advance search on those that have sold?

[def90]

Quick look in GB shows prices from $800 (still bidding) up to several thousands (buy now). Satin, high polish, varying nickel finishes and conditions. Gunsinternational shows high prices also. Research more before you commit to selling. I'd say yours is easily low $2ks

The "buy now" guns at the inflated prices will never sell yet auctions that start low with no reserve will draw people in and will often end up with a couple guys that are invested in the fever and will drive the price up higher than some of these expensive "buy it now" ads. I've seen several FALs over the last year that have sold at $7-8k via a penny auction all while at the same moment another guy had the same rifle priced at $6k with a buy it now price and zero watchers.

[wctriumph]

If you can, look it up in the Blue Book of Gun Values.