The Blue Book also provides examples in the front of their book to help evaluate condition according to their standards. I just looked at a gun with fading and worn case colors on the top, sides, and lockplates, and absolutely nothing on the bottom of the action and trigger plate. The seller said he felt it had 80% case colors remaining.
Personally, I think the seller is nuts. If I bought an old car, the fact that it had perfect paint under the hood and inside the trunk would mean very little if the exterior was very worn and faded.
