Smith and Wesson Factory Letter

remo34

How much value does having a Letter of Authenticity from Smith & Wesson add to the value of the firearm? I know this is a relative thing, but is there an average percentage?

givette

"How much value does having a Letter of Authenticity from Smith & Wesson add to the value of the firearm"

Nothing. If you have a straight, run of the mill S&W, all the letter will tell you is that you have a straight, run of the mill S&W, that anyone can see by looking at it.

Now, a letter is important, if the gun has an unusual feature, as unusual features can exact a premium if done by S&W.

Also, a letter is a good place to start your research if you think there's some sort of luminary attached to prior ownership of the gun, and you need the letter as a baseline to start your research into the gun's provenance. Best, Joe

remo34

Thank you Joe. I've seen many S&W items posted on GunBroker.com which make a specific point of stating that they have a letter, including it as a selling point. It is interesting to know some of the history of an item. For instance, I've aquired a New Departure Safety Hammerless that, according to Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson - 3rd Edition, was made sometime between 1989 and 1907. I'm sending away for a Letter of Authenticity just to see when the original ship date from the factory was. I won't expect it to raise the resale value of this item if I ever decide to let it go.