doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Holts auction.

I wonder too, if Americans and others aren't driving prices up suddenly.

Way more retail buyers in the post Covid era is my feeling.

Low estimates do generate interest for certain. But after many years of watching and later bidding on these type auctions I definitely think prices are much higher than they were just a couple years ago, even last year. Most guns you can look at and come within a close number for its final selling price but not this sale. I bid 50-100% over high estimate and got outbid by a large amount. The upcoming steel shot issue does not seem to be driving down prices. In fact I think people are buying Spanish guns as a use and dispose of type solution to the problem. Hammer guns are also doing much better than I expected. If prices stay at this level it will price me out of bidding when I add in the cost of importing.

The sealed bid auction guns are usually the lower end of the gun market. Guns with issues, or ones who just do not bring much money in general. I loved one gun and thought I was going to be overpaying for it at $2,000 then watched it sell for twice that and without the bidder having to pay importing it. A couple other guns that I bid on could be bought from US dealers for less than the auction prices, house cut, importing cost. It makes little sense to keep bidding over there when I can find similar things in the US and for less money. I will keep trying but will not just say the heck with it and start placing stupid crazy high bids just to win something. Perhaps I just need to hit on a few to get back into the game but it looks like my game may be done. I wish I had had more interest in hammer guns a decade ago, when nobody seemed to want them at any price.