Hi bob,
That is a good question which only a hands on inspection under proper light will tell and even then two different people will have three different answers. The whole subject of grading the old firearms is a very subjective process, and that is one of the reasons I try to stay away from such specifics on here, including the what is it worth question. It is so hard to tell from pics sometimes and I don't want to tell someone they have a $5000 dollar gun, or for example, if it is only worth half that, or that a gun is 95% but then have the owner find out when properly looked at that is is rather an 80 or 85% gun. That is why I try to only offer advice when I am pretty certain I can provide something close to the right answer. All that said, this is indeed a very nice 73, but given what I recall from the photos last night (I am using my iPhone right now and don't want to base my opinion on photos from a phone!) I was thinking it would likely fall somewhere between 80 to 90%. Though it is of high condition, I recall seeing a fair amount of thinning on the receiver in places,etc. To be 98% the gun would have to be almost new with maybe the exception of a scratch or two. I am not taking anything away from such a nice example, nor anyone else's opinion, just basing my opinion (and that is all it is until it can be looked at properly) on what i could tell in a limited way from the pics, and that is why I avoided putting a price and a rating of condition on it to start with. Again this is all very subjective, and as others have noted, the owner should gets a hands on with the gun. It sure is a keeper. Good luck with it!
Matt
