[TheRomanhistorian]

I think it's quite an interesting thing when it comes to collecting and people have their niches. I'm a Roman historian by training and a professor by day but I have a quiet hobby involving WWI memorabilia and things from that period (trench watches and British army issue pocket watches with broad arrow markings). So, my handgun collection is about 70% WWI pistols with 1920s/30s Broomhandles and a Webley and Scott shotgun and some PPKs. I think the Artillery Luger in question was certainly nice and well worth what Don suggested for the price though I think the 10k was not out of reason (though too rich for a history professor's budget) and most of my collection was acquired at under $1,500 per example (I've gotten lucky with several shooter Lugers recently at $500-$800 locally).

That said, though I'm a collector, I suspect I'm not in the same league as many others here in seeking the 'collectible' high end pistols. My collection is super idiosyncratic in that I wanted Imperial Lugers from every year of the war and my 'new' shooters are a Mauser/Interarms and two WWII era Lugers. Even my Russian Capture WWI Luger is far more interesting though not really 'collectible' due to its condition and a mismatched number here and there. Then I had to get a Webley revolver for as many years of the war as I could find (plus the semi-auto variants). For me, the collection is about getting representative items from each major combatant on the Western Front (Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, Italy, and the USA. Now to expand and get Turkey and maybe Japan) but, for me, 90% strawing or finish was a bonus rather than something I sought. Which means my collection will probably not merit much to members here or to my future children (as yet unconcieved and unborn) who will find dear old dad's collection is pretty average, at best! But I think that idiosyncrasy can play with 'value' quite a lot, as Doug and Rich both suggest.

So, at times, I've paid above the reasonable price not because it was that valuable but because I needed it to fit the niche in my collection! I don't have more money than sense, alas, but those damned compulsions! Like Rich hinted at in his example about certain serials.

For me, even chromed weapons are collectible in the sense that I need representative examples of WWI handguns from the major powers (Turkey is the only one I am missing). I wouldn't pay $1400 for a chromed Roth Steyr M1907 but I did win a chromed one on Gunbroker for $695 and the chrome tells of an interesting story after it's WWI and perhaps WWII usage. So, as a historian, I would have paid more than the shooter price of $695 if I had to (though there was a nice one belonging to the 2nd Hussar Regiment which I fancied but I think it was $1500 and I'd like the savings to go towards my trip to Europe for my archaeology dig!) but I'm glad I didn't need to this time...

So, just my tuppence on value being somewhat subjective though that was a nice Artillery indeed.