Commemorative Thompsons

Question

WWII Commemorative Tho   Michael -

Thanks for taking my question.  I am a fellow volunteer on AllExperts (U.S. Air Force careers, model rocketry and Revolutionary War reenacting).  I have a pair of commemorative Thompsons: WWII and Korean War, issued by the American Historical Foundation.  They have matching serial numbers, and we acquired from the AHF in 1983 and 1985 respectfully.  They are the semi-auto version with 16" barrels.  Both have their display cases issued by the AHF.

Due to the economy I have become unemployed and am looking to sell the Thompsons to keep my family housed and fed.  I know they require an FFL to transfer, but I am looking for advice on the best way to sell them to a collector who would appreciate them.  Can you recommend an auction or clearing house, or know of a collector who specializes in this type of firearm?

I have seen very few WWII Thompsons for sale, and they are the rarer of the two as only 750 were made, as opposed to the 1,500 of the Korean Was Commemorative.  However, I have a letter from Robert Buerlein, President AHF, stating that there are less than 350 pairs that have matching serial numbers.  I want to make sure a reputable representative is found, as I do believe the collection is worth a fair penny, but I don't want to sacrifice it too cheaply merely for cash flow.

I thank you again for your time.

Respectfully,
James Bell

Answer
Thanks for you question. I am no expert in selling commemorative firearms so I can only tell what I would do. I would first obtain their current value of these firearms by using a price/value guide. Also, I would check gun auction sites to see if the same firearms have sold. I think the most important thing is you get an accurate value in the current market.

Next, is how much of a risk are you willing to take when selling these firearms? This is will help you decide if you want to sell it via auction. If you're not ready to take a risk, I would look at posting these firearms for sale on gun forums. I cannot recommend one over another. Finding a forum that deal with collectible firearms can probably point you in the right direction.

Because of economy, commemorative firearms seem to be harder to sell these days. But I have seen firearms sell for way more than their value too. I wish you luck!