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Please tell me you are not giving up collecting Burt. I have been envious of your guns for awhile. such great condition. And of course the 1886 is the best.
Burt Humphrey said
guns are sold – thanks for the interest from those who inquired – I have had them a long time and will miss them a lot – I don’t seem to be able to get any younger so it is time to continue to thin the herd.
Congrats! That’s the way to do it. You know they’re going to a good home and no auction fees! And condition, condition, condition pays off!
This thread is a GREAT example of why it PAYS to buy quality. Burt unloaded three Winchester rifles worth $67,000 collectively, in less than 2 hrs 15 min. My guess is because they sold so quickly—indeed, they were sold before I even knew them to be available—Burt didn’t have to come down any in price.
In contrast, other than the under 1 or 2k junk for the entry level buyer who won’t ever be available to pay much more, you can see fairly often a firearm that others say is worth 10k or so (but these aren’t the ones buying), list it at 9 k, get no interest, drop it to the $7500 range after several price drops, before there’s any interest, then get offers in the 5 k range before finally selling in the $6000 to $6500 range. I think this mid range stuff will continue to languish. Deep pockets folks will spend more for better, the other end of the spectrum rarely sees $1000 all at once.
Burt Humphrey said
oldcrankyyankee said
Please tell me you are not giving up collecting Burt. I have been envious of your guns for awhile. such great condition. And of course the 1886 is the best.
I have not lost interest – just getting old. My only remaining 86 may be the next to go.
WOW on that 1886. Beautiful.
November 7, 2015
Offline
Thank you for sharing your beautiful rifles with us, Burt!
Mike
mrcvs said
This thread is a GREAT example of why it PAYS to buy quality. Burt unloaded three Winchester rifles worth $67,000 collectively, in less than 2 hrs 15 min. My guess is because they sold so quickly—indeed, they were sold before I even knew them to be available—Burt didn’t have to come down any in price.
I agree. According to the Cody letters, Burt had these rifles in in his collection for a very long time. There have been discussions/debates regarding investing in quality vs. quantity, the stock market vs. Winchesters, etc. It would be very interesting to know what Burt originally paid for each one of these rifles when they were acquired 20-30+ years ago and compare his return on investment to other investment options such as growth of the Dow Jones, S&P 500 etc.
Don
There have been discussions/debates regarding investing in quality vs. quantity, the stock market vs. Winchesters, etc. It would be very interesting to know what Burt originally paid for each one of these rifles when they were acquired 20-30+ years ago and compare his return on investment to other investment options such as growth of the Dow Jones, S&P 500 etc.
All true. But what those ‘financial’ comparisons can never take into account or place a value on is the joy we get from seeking, acquiring, owning and admiring all those pieces for all the years we have them at our disposal.
I hope my wife someday can sell my collections for at least what I paid. If she gets a little more, all the better. But no one can put a dollar value on the pleasure I’ve enjoyed from collecting.
NP
Nevada Paul
Life Member NRA
Nevada Paul said
All true. But what those ‘financial’ comparisons can never take into account or place a value on is the joy we get from seeking, acquiring, owning and admiring all those pieces for all the years we have them at our disposal.I hope my wife someday can sell my collections for at least what I paid. If she gets a little more, all the better. But no one can put a dollar value on the pleasure I’ve enjoyed from collecting.
NP
This is where I’m at (and happy to be there), except substitute in the word “son” for “wife”. Right now, I have no real narrow focus (yet)….I like them all and have many different models, all entry level. Some better condition, some “brown” and not as likeable in some collectors’ eyes. I hope to one day use the ones I’ve found and learned my way with to upgrade to those nicer models. Buying three rifles for 60k+ at one time is not an arena I’ll ever rope goats in but that’s OK!
Burt Humphrey said
Nevada Paul said
There have been discussions/debates regarding investing in quality vs. quantity, the stock market vs. Winchesters, etc. It would be very interesting to know what Burt originally paid for each one of these rifles when they were acquired 20-30+ years ago and compare his return on investment to other investment options such as growth of the Dow Jones, S&P 500 etc.
All true. But what those ‘financial’ comparisons can never take into account or place a value on is the joy we get from seeking, acquiring, owning and admiring all those pieces for all the years we have them at our disposal.
I hope my wife someday can sell my collections for at least what I paid. If she gets a little more, all the better. But no one can put a dollar value on the pleasure I’ve enjoyed from collecting.
NP
In 50 years of collecting lever action Winchesters I never purchased a single one where I considered the purchase from an investment standpoint. I bought them because I was in awe of them and had been since I was a boy. You have to buy them when they are available and I over paid for a few – the good thing is time may be on your side and if you are buying guns which are original, correct and have condition, historically you have been rewarded. You have to buy and hold for it to work out. I know lots of guys that have tried to be “day traders” in the market – generally, they lose their butt. Investing in mutual funds and government bonds has worked for me but it does not provide the satisfaction of owning the guns. Gun collecting is a hobby first and foremost but I understand some guys make a living buying and selling them. I guess I was like NP and hoped my wife would get my money back but most of all I was just enjoying the ownership. Generally speaking the guns have been good to me financially but I kept them for a long time and I tried to buy guns which were desireable for collectors. Going back 50 years, brown guns did not appreciate much and they still do not. I first met my old friend Tommy Rholes at a Vegas gun show in the 70’s – we hit it off and I got invited to his hotel room for a beer with a couple of other guys. I told him that I wanted to buy something at the show and asked him what he might recommend buying from the inventory he brought with him. He asked me how much money I had brought with me – I told him $10,000 (that was quite a bit of money in those days). He did not recommend any of his guns but what he said was buy the best gun I could find for the 10k – don’t buy a couple 5k guns or four 2500 dollar guns. As for Don’s question regarding return on investment, the answer would depend on the gun. The Model 1894 I just sold was not a good investment – I paid $18,500 for that gun in the spring of 2009 at the height of the market crash. Lots of guys had pulled money out of investments and were buying things like gold, silver and guns. I knew at the time I was paying top dollar and more but I wanted the gun for my collection. I have seen a lot of nice 94’s and owned several but this gun is the cream of the crop – H checkered, full octagon, full magazine, PG with a rifle butt in 32-40. The gun is 98% and in my opinion the only improvement would be for it to be a 38-55. I do not have to run the numbers, I know the gun was not fiscally rewarding to own but I sure got a lot of enjoyment out of owning it. And, I did not lose a dime! The other 2 guns rewarded me much better because I had them for a long time and did not over pay for them. Who could have guessed what would happen with nice 1892’s – 92 SRC’s which I used to own and sold for about $3500 now are going for 12-15k. In 1989 I sold a deluxe 92 in 25-20, almost as good as the one I just sold, to Glenn Hockett for $4k. If I could turn back the clock I would be buying every trapper carbine I could find that was right. Some of you may remember a guy named Gerald Edson from here on the Forum – his handle was Deluxe 76- he was from Indiana and had about 200 Winchesters – good ones. During my last convertsation with him a couple of months before he died, he was pondering what to do with all his guns as he had no heirs which were interested in them. I am sure that guy left a real mess for his wife. About 5 years ago I decided I did not a mess for my wife – I don’t have plans to depart real soon but I am realistic because I will be 74 in a couple of months. I only had about 50 Winchesters when I decided to downsize. At first I decided to keep one of every model – when I got there I decided to further downsize and keep one of every model made in the 19th century. Now that I have sold the 92/94/95 I will eventually sell them all and if I tip over and still have a couple, my wife will deal with it. It has been fun!
Thank you for your candidness.
If you bought the 1894 for $18,500 15 years ago, and sold it for 22k, that’s just under 20% over 15 years. That’s a gain of a little over 1% a year. You got to enjoy it and still ended up ahead.
Im sure there’s more than one investment made in 2009 that is behind after all these years. Not many but some. For example, didn’t Fannie Mae go bankrupt about that time meaning a ROI of 0%. And no pride of ownership, either.
Jeremy P said
Nevada Paul said
All true. But what those ‘financial’ comparisons can never take into account or place a value on is the joy we get from seeking, acquiring, owning and admiring all those pieces for all the years we have them at our disposal.
I hope my wife someday can sell my collections for at least what I paid. If she gets a little more, all the better. But no one can put a dollar value on the pleasure I’ve enjoyed from collecting.
NP
This is where I’m at (and happy to be there), except substitute in the word “son” for “wife”. Right now, I have no real narrow focus (yet)….I like them all and have many different models, all entry level. Some better condition, some “brown” and not as likeable in some collectors’ eyes. I hope to one day use the ones I’ve found and learned my way with to upgrade to those nicer models. Buying three rifles for 60k+ at one time is not an arena I’ll ever rope goats in but that’s OK!
My son is interested in black guns, and has shown no interest in my Winchester rifles and most of my Colt pistols, so my wife is the obvious heir. She has little interest other than seeing me happy, and an occasional trip to gun shows, so she won’t keep them.
I’m guessing you’re younger than I. Don’t sell yourself short; buying three rifles for $60k at once may not seem such a stretch in future years.
My Winchester collecting started much as you describe yours: no focus, and plenty of brown guns. I still own and cherish many of those ‘brown guns’ for various reasons.
Eventually, I wanted to own an example of every Winchester rimfire. I came close, but there will always be a few to escape me. Can you say ‘thumb trigger’?
At one point, I discovered that I owned several rifles which had been made during my birth year. This led to a decades long search for an example of one of everything Winchester manufactured in the year I was born (there were 29). I got that done, and it was a great bit of fun, and cost a lot of money. I definitely overpaid for some examples because they were scarce in that year.
My most current passion has been 1892’s. I have all the caliber and configurations covered, but there will be a life long attempt at upgrading, since some of these are ‘brown guns’.
But if I come across something rare or that I just find interesting or attractive, I’ll try to get it home.
Best of luck with your collecting endeavors. You’re part of a great family here.
NP
Nevada Paul
Life Member NRA
Nevada Paul said
This is where I’m at (and happy to be there), except substitute in the word “son” for “wife”. Right now, I have no real narrow focus (yet)….I like them all and have many different models, all entry level. Some better condition, some “brown” and not as likeable in some collectors’ eyes. I hope to one day use the ones I’ve found and learned my way with to upgrade to those nicer models. Buying three rifles for 60k+ at one time is not an arena I’ll ever rope goats in but that’s OK!
My son is interested in black guns, and has shown no interest in my Winchester rifles and most of my Colt pistols, so my wife is the obvious heir. She has little interest other than seeing me happy, and an occasional trip to gun shows, so she won’t keep them.
I’m guessing you’re younger than I. Don’t sell yourself short; buying three rifles for $60k at once may not seem such a stretch in future years.
My Winchester collecting started much as you describe yours: no focus, and plenty of brown guns. I still own and cherish many of those ‘brown guns’ for various reasons.
Eventually, I wanted to own an example of every Winchester rimfire. I came close, but there will always be a few to escape me. Can you say ‘thumb trigger’?
At one point, I discovered that I owned several rifles which had been made during my birth year. This led to a decades long search for an example of one of everything Winchester manufactured in the year I was born (there were 29). I got that done, and it was a great bit of fun, and cost a lot of money. I definitely overpaid for some examples because they were scarce in that year.
My most current passion has been 1892’s. I have all the caliber and configurations covered, but there will be a life long attempt at upgrading, since some of these are ‘brown guns’.
But if I come across something rare or that I just find interesting or attractive, I’ll try to get it home.
Best of luck with your collecting endeavors. You’re part of a great family here.
NP
I feel our brains probably work very similarly 🙂 … right now I’m in “one of each” of the pre-64 lever models….just getting rolling with the slide action 22s…don’t know where I’m going yet but yes, I’m in my later 40s so I hope to be playing the game for awhile…it’s been fun so far as there’s just enough nice stuff that’s affordable that you come across it regularly and get that fulfilling feeling.
I’ve enjoyed interacting and learning on here so far, looking forward to meeting some folks in person. My “first” retirement is coming up in 5 or so years and I feel like this is something I can “belong” to in my next life…wish I’d known all this years ago!
January 26, 2011
Online
Burt Humphrey said
oldcrankyyankee said
Please tell me you are not giving up collecting Burt. I have been envious of your guns for awhile. such great condition. And of course the 1886 is the best.
I have not lost interest – just getting old. My only remaining 86 may be the next to go.
Burt – Congrats on getting some nice pieces sold, and I hope you can hold on to a few of your treasures for a while longer. They certainly bring us some joy to own them. Let us know when the ’86 might come available. Maybe I will sell off my entire collection and buy that beauty from you. As others have said, thanks for sharing them with us on the forum.
~Gary~
Congrats Burt. Some of the nicest and looks like they went to one of our WACA forum members. Congratulations all around!
Rick C
Hi Burt , I’m glad you’re not getting out of the Hobby just yet . I just wanted to add my appreciation for the Pure quality of your Winchesters . I am a casual shooter and a history buff who loves the History of the Winchesters along with the Quality. I like to shoot them occasionally and I reload for the more uncommon calibers . But most of all they are thing of Beauty to me ( 1912 and earlier approximately) when things were handcrafted . I enjoyed looking at the ones that you just sold as they are Beautiful .
Best of Luck in your future endeavors , Bruce
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