[tabs]

Henry Rifle #5..is a piece of American History, that you can touch. Henry #1 was presented to Lincoln and is in the Smithsonian. So what value do you put on it? It can't be replaced, is one of a kind because of its provence. It just so happened that a Billionaire bought it because he wanted the bestest of everything that he can get.

There are more collectors today than ever before, that wnat to touch a piece of history and that demand is what drives prices. The gun market is not largely driven by ROI people. Alot of the guys who have the stroke to pay for this stuff truly love their stuff and see it as a good hedge for their money.

Back at the turn of the 20th century you could buy a Colt Patterson for $1.50, today 150K. Supply and demand. Collecting of firearms didn't become mainstream until after WW2. Until then people might collect guns from the 16th and 17th centurys. After WW2 all that changed, as the common man had more money and wanted to have something from the past.

BTW it was a WSJ article in 1998 that gave gun collecting the same respectability as fine art, tamps, coins, art objects, furniture and classic cars.