I find it hard to believe they have much value, every example that I have seen has been in rough shape to put it mildly.
The rifles you are referring to were from the batch that mostly stayed in Canada. Most, not all of the VG or better grade examples went to the US, where they could get better money for them.
There was a lot of controversy at the time whether the rifles actually came out of Viet Nam. The Chinese gave thousands of variations of Mauser rifles to the NVA. There were also lots of different Mausers and other firearms captured from the French and Japanese. This controversy was all started because the rifles came into Canada, after going though the UK, before being allowed into the US. A crude but effective way to sanitize their origin.
About 15% of the rifles were in 70% or better condition. The people from Century International in the US were the first ones allowed to pick over the pallets of rifles.
Of course, they took most of the best rifles, all 75% or better.
I came on the scene with Alan Lever and we, along with a few others were allowed in to pick through a half dozen pallets of rifles that were graded anywhere from 60% and up.
To purchase these rifles, the dealers had to buy at least 100 rifles. Mr Lever wasn't keen on these Chinese rifles at the time, simply because there were a lot of other Mausers of all types and grades available in the International Firearms warehouse. Sooo, I purchased the required 100 rifles and made a deal with Anthony, the warehouse manager, who had some leeway in these things.
I convinced him to sell me 20 rifles that were in appx 75% condition if I took 80 serviceable but Fair only grade rifles from him and purchase another 50 bolts and receivers.
There were hundreds of wooden crates/pallets, full of receivers, bolts, stocks, trigger guards, stock ferrules and butt plates. Price on these worked out to 50 cents a pound. Cheap even 40 years ago.
I used those receivers and bolts to build several very presentable custom rifles. Sold off about half of them over the next few years and most of the rifles, about 30 years later.
It's only recently that the Chinese made rifles have become "collectible" in a real term. Not sure why, every single one of them saw as much or more real action than most RC 98s.
Maybe because the Chinese wars were never in the public eye, in North America or Europe??? Just like the South American 98 types, its only been about 10+ years that people realize how well made and collectible those lovely rifles are. Believe me, we mostly see the best of them here. 75% of those South American 98 type and other Mausers were ridden hard and put away wet but still saw extensive service way past the time they should have been FTRed or smelted down for the scrap metal they had become from abuse.
