Unrealistic Prices
 

A friend called me over the weekend and let me know of three Lugers recently consigned to a LGS. The store was closed Monday so I made a trip to look at the Lugers yesterday. I left empty handed as the pieces were badly overpriced and one was junk.

The first I looked over is a 1914 Erfurt Artillery that has a reproduction stock, holster and double mag pouch. Lots of mismatched parts and a toggle ground so badly that the "ERFURT" was almost completely gone. The barrel serial numbers have been buffed away and the extractor much more narrow than normal. The grips were black plastic. If the total production of Erfurt Artillery models was 21,000 as normally accepted, the frame serial number was nearly 3,000 higher than it should be. It didn't match the upper. All in all, JUNK... and priced at $1500.

Next was a 1918 Erfurt with mostly matching numbers. The sear bar was a replacement and the mag a mismatch. The exterior is rough and the bore only fair. Priced again at $1500.

Finally, an all matching 30 caliber DWM Alphabet Luger that looked nice on the exterior but has a well worn, dark bore. For that, they only wanted $2200.

I haven't a clue where the seller obtained their values but they clearly are not realistic.

I agree with you, but to the vast majority of gun shops, a luger is rare and unusual. I seldom see one in a shop and never in a pawn shop, as examples. Since they are so 'rare' they must be worth the prices seen in auctions. I think most gunshops have someone who follows auctions in a general sense and they just don't know.
I have told new collectors that once they start down the road of milsurp collecting, they see more at shows and know the shops that carry them. They no longer seem so rare, so examples like above are expensive.