[mrerick]

Joe, if your friend has no concept of the value of their collectible firearms, understand that they are at the mercy of more than just market forces. There are more than enough people that would happily make low-ball offerings - most of which would be uninformed.

Walk into a shop, or into a gun show with that "Luger" and you're most likely to find someone that knows you're ripe for the taking.

These firearms have many variable characteristics that affect their actual value to collectors (or for lower condition firearms, as shooter firearms).

This forum includes many world class experts on Lugers and other military firearms. You're welcome to our resources (like our free FAQ document), but blind valuation is very difficult and generally hard to do without a firearm in hand, and thorough knowledge of the current marketplace, demand, recent sale prices and other details.

This study takes time, is not based on opportunism, but rather in genuine scholarship and knowledge of history that takes years to develop.

My best advice would be to find someone that is local to you that can do a competent appraisal of your firearms, give you a written report with the details of how it was valued, and pay them for their time.

There are a number of people here that do such work. Ultimately, you often get what you pay for.