safe queens and other things.

[les snyder]

over the last 30 or so years, I've played several gun games...some requiring specific firearms like an STC 10/22 that are not used much... and over time, pistols like my single stack .45 comp gun are not really competitive any more, so get relegated to the safe... they were hand built by me, and have nostalgic value above their true value, so probably will never be sold, even if there was a buyer... others like the SW M41, purchased for $350,  have risen greatly in value, but for the same nostalgia reason will probably never be sold... they sit in the safe also.... I have an addendum to my will, listing a group of friends, each to be given a choice

[red364]

Some folks have an urge to collect, some don't. 

  My guess is that non-collectors would be less likely to have personal jewelery, the exception being a watch, since it has a function, and collectors would be more likely to have rings or other accessories.

I guess I have the urge, because I have guns that are just hanging around waiting to be worth more one day. I have jewelry I wear and some that stays with the guns in the safe... I would be so pissed if, on one of the rare days I drive the 57 something happened to it.
But, there are other thing to shoot, drive and wear while my collectibles are just sitting around, so I'm ok with my queens.     

[twyacht]

There also is (with a family scenario), wanting to depart this world leaving tangible items of value for your kids.  For those that can't afford to leave large sums of cash, gold, property and/or jewelry to their kids,  perhaps a "hardly used" pistol/rifle/collector car,...whatever,, has a personal sentimental family value, as well as an appreciating value depending on what it is.

For example:

Handing down Grandpa's original Winchester, whether NIB, hardly shot, or put meat on the table every year for the last 70 years,
has intrinsic value.

So to the Porsche, There are ALOT of 911's. The older ones will always have collector appeal. Do you want it as an investment to drive around every once in a while, and re-sell later?

Or get it, keep it, drive the crap out of it, and hopefully not get too many tickets? 

A 1955 Mercedes W196 recently sold for $30 Million. Go figure....

http://money.cnn.com/2013/07/12/autos/mercedes-record-auction/

[Dakotaranger]

I have two safe queens.  My Grandpa's Winchester .32  I can't afford to get it restored to where I'd feel safe shooting right now but I value it and it will stay in the family.  The  other is my Grandpa Olmsted Boy Scout knife.  I carried for 12 yrs until I got out of college and now it's in the safe.  It isn't worth anything financially but I'd be sick if I lost it.

Honestly, if I came across a transferable Thompson it'd probably sit in the safe quite abit because I couldn't afford to feed it on a regular basis but I'd still want it when I did.

[Timothy]

Savage 1903 is my safe princess!  It's 110 years old and probably worth less than the 6 bucks it was worth originally!

Grandad and Dads squirrel gun.  Been fired about five times in thirty years but hitting an 8-1/2 x 11 piece of paper is becoming a chore.  No sense doing anything but clean it these days which happens twice a year just to keep it from pitting further.

Safes are for keeping things safe.  That rifle will become my little girls someday and she'll keep it another fifty or sixty years and give it to her spawn!

[Sponsor]

[Solus]

To clarify my point of view, and perhaps TAB's, I think the question should have been "Why would someone buy something they aren't going to use", rather than "Why would someone own something they aren't going to  use"

Heirloom guns, or anything, items that have faithfully served are another....those were not purchased to be saved...but they are not used so they will be saved.

And I am at the opposite end when it comes to items I've owned and which served well.  I don't want to part with them.  But then, that is were the Pack Rat comes in.

Again, nothing wrong at all with collecting, it's just not something I find enjoyable.

[Timothy]

Back to original question.

A 1999, 911 Turbo with 600 actual miles is easily worth what the guy originally paid for it.  It's nothing special other than the last Porsche available in the 20th century.  What someone is willing to pay for it is the question!

An investment, nothing more.  One of my best friends has a 1971, 911 S that he's had since the late 70's.  What's that worth to him vs someone else?

[MAUSERMAN]

I have my grand dads P38 he captured and his M1 carbine he some how "lost" and found its way home. I also have my great grand dads M1917 he brought back after his service in WW1.

[philw]

time is my main issue  ( that and I don't want to sell any guns )


I have got a .45 BP Hawken I have had for a few years that I have not shot yet  ( this is caus of lack of time )

and recently I have not had much time to rifle shoot or get the shotgun out

the pistols get a little work out   however this is more at the moment for licensing reasons  ( I have a min number I have to shoot a year )

I want to shoot more  however  with work / family and lack of $$ is stopping that at the moment.

so the mrs now wants me to sell most and just keep 1 pistol 1 rifle the 12g and the little ones pink 22...     she has issues understanding that you need different guns for different things.


everyone has there own reasons   be they like my situation,  collecting,  hording  what ever it is,   up to them what they do.