DU -matched pair fair value?

[Grouser]

Haven't seen these yet but heres the description:
The two guns are cased and unfired (late 80's early 90's)
Winchester pump 16 ga engraved (Terry Redlin) with ceramic inlays
Winchester 30-30 engraved and inlayed as above
They both have the same serial numbers (was told only 3 sets in Canada)
The seller is a guy I grew up with - doesn't hunt & has no real interest in firearms.
He won them on a DU ticket draw ($10) & has no idea what he should charge for them.
Problem is that some DUFIS told him that they were worth $4000.00
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers, John

 

[beretta boy]

Ruffed Grouse Society, National Wild Turkey Federation, Pheasant Forever, Quail Unlimited, etc., etc., etc., ... all jumped on the "fundraising dinner bandwagon emulating what DU has done and been doing continually since the late 30's in the US and the mid 70's in Canada. Likewise, the firearms manufacturer's are all too eager (and Winchester nauseatingly-so) to crank
out commemoratives and fundraising guns to whomever has the purchasing power generally, to order 500 or so of a particular model, and even better, variations for subsequent years.

Generally. commemoratives and conservation dinner guns don't sell for much more ( if at all ... and often less) than the same standard model production guns. There are some differences, particulkarly where fitted cases, up-graded wood and special finishes or engraving is concerned.

Terry Redlin is a Minnesota artist, whose work has gained considerable appeal from segments of both the DU crowd (where his work was first widely distributed in 1982 with the DU National print "Midnight Retreat") and the public in general. Sort of "hot & cold" ... "love his work or don't at all" - no seeming middle ground. Perhaps "only 3 in Canada" ... but likely several hundred in the US.

Best guess the Winchester pump is a Model 1200 and the 30-30 a Model 94.
In excellent condition ... $ 1250 - $ 1500. This is representative of fair market resale value ... however, guns of this type at a DU Fundraising Auction
may have originally sold for 2 or 3 times that price ... depending on the location & the crowd !

 

[straightshooter]

Good comments, beretta boy. In fact, I think you were being too kind, if anything. These DU commemoratives are everywhere. You don't really want to beat them up in the field, because they usually have nice finishes and/or engraving. So, they're really only collector's pieces. Unfortunately, there's too darn many of them to allow demand to become greater than supply. As I result, they're often worth LESS than a comparable shooter.

I would strongly advise against buying them as investments.

 

[beretta boy]

The DU guns were never really intended as "investments" ... more along the lines of a little " DU brand identification' aimed at the DU supporter - as a means to help with their conservation fundraising initiatives. On some models, better grade wood, unique engraving and a supplied hard case (generally not available for the comparable "standard" model guns) ... made the DU guns a little more desireable - to some.

Sorta like the "Eddie Bauer" Edition SUV's ... other than a few (perhaps) unique options and markings ... not relly worth any more than any other comparable model SUV from the same manufacturer ( but, generally not less, either !!! )