We know our sport of choice can put a real hole in our pockets, but these pistols and rifles would really blow up our credit card bills. Collectible guns have a story associated with them that makes them fascinating and gives them a special kind of intrinsic value. You will most likely never see, hold or fire any of these, but here is:
Our list of the most expensive guns
The Gun: Colt .45 revolver
The Marksman: Wyatt Earp
The Price: $225,000
In the 1880’s, Wyatt Earp was a gambler, gold miner, and entrepreneur. He built a small fortune off running a brothel, refereeing boxing matches, running a barbershop and a saloon. He also happened to be the notorious Marshall of the town of Tombstone, Arizona. His Colt .45 revolver was passed down through the Earp family until it ended up being sold at auction for $225,000.
The Gun: Perazzi Rifle Set
The Craftsman: Badillini
The Price: $354,000
A fusion between traditional gunsmithing, high technology and the selection of excellent raw materials, Perazzi has been building rifles with perfect balance and handling for 50 years. A world leader in clay shooting, these gold guns are truly one of a kind, each one painstakingly engraved by Master Engraver Badillini.
The Gun: The Henry Rifle
The Craftsman: Benjamin Tyler Henry
The Price: $603,000
Created by Benjamin Tyler Henry 1 year before The Civil War, and referred to as “the rifle you can load on Friday and shoot all weekend long”, this design was literally revolutionary. Its introduction was a major turning point in both battle and industrial innovation. It was the first firearm with a lever-action repeater, giving the shooter the ability to fire 16 bullets at a time. At the time, most rifles were musket-loaded and needed to be reset after each shot.
The Gun: Double-Barrelled Shotgun
The Marksman: Teddy Roosevelt
The Price: $862,500.
In 1909, Teddy Roosevelt went on a year-long African expedition right after leaving the White House. Infamous for his love of game hunting, this double-barreled shotgun was a constant companion of the former president. It hauled in $862,000 when it was sold at an auction.
The Gun: Colt Paterson Percussion Revolver
The Craftsman: Samuel Colt
The Price: $977,500
In 1836, this gun was the first repeating pistol that Samuel Colt patented, becoming the first in a line of historical technologies that shaped the history of the country. Extremely rare as a limited number were produced, this pristine piece snared nearly a million dollars at auction.
The Guns: Twin Pistols
The Craftsman: Nicholas-Noël Boutet
The Marksman: Simón Bolívar
The Price: $1.8M
The personal gunsmith to Napoleon Bonaparte, Nicolas-Noël Boutet, is regarded as one of the finest gunmakers to have ever lived anywhere in the world. In 1825, Marquis de Lafayette (if you’ve seen Hamilton, same guy) , a friend to revolutionaries, gave the twins to Simón Bolívar. Known as “the George Washington of Latin America,” Bolívar dedicated his life to liberating South American nations.
The Guns: Saddle Pistols
The Craftsman: Jacob Walster
The Marksman: George Washington
The Price: $1,986,000
Naturally, Lafayette enters the picture again when he gave these pistols to his bud, George during the American Revolution. Made by Jacob Walster in France it’s possible he had them with him at Valley Forge or the Battle of Yorktown. They are currently on display at Fort Ligonier in Pennsylvania, after being purchased at Christies in 2002.
The Guns: The Big Bang Pistol Set
The Craftsman: Cabot Guns Company
The Price: $4.5M
These handguns are truly out of this universe. Literally. They are forged from chunks of a meteorite that crashed to earth during prehistoric times in Gibeon, Namibia. Quoted at $2.25M a piece (only sold as a pair), the company used X-rays, 3-D modelling, electron-beam welding and acid-etching to carve and build two fully-functional 1911 pistols from the space rock. They’re one of a kind and won’t be produced again. If someone were to actually spend that kind of money (it’s gunna be Bezos), it would make them the most expensive guns in history.
Dishonourable mention
The Gun: 7.65mm Pistol
The Craftsman: Carl Walther
The Marksman: Hitler
The Price: Priceless
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