While the value of any antique firearm involves condition, relative scarcity, historical significance and collection demand, the true value of a firearm is not what a collector thinks the gun is worth, nor is it the price the seller is asking. It is not just what the buyer is willing to pay, either. All of these can be swayed by greed, ignorance or misinformation. The true value of any gun is determined when the amount the seller will accept coincides with the amount the buyer is willing to pay, and any of this can change on the whim of either party.

General demand for collectible firearms is constantly increasing , and any gun’s worth rises and falls in preportion to the demand for it. Demand is also influenced by new articles that appear in periodicals or well prepared gun books that describe and classify firearms of a particular maker or manufacturer.