Any sales you wish you could buy back?

[G.T.]

I think it is one of Orv's rules of collecting,"The only guns you ever regret are the ones you sold or didn't buy"? I have many, (maybe all!) of the guns I've sold, that I wish I had back! But, the one that I didn't get stands out as my biggest mistake! I was at a pretty good size show in S.E. South Dakota, about 600 tables, where I saw a single luger on a table off to one side.. I went over to look at it, and it was a 100% mint 1938 Mauser Banner, with two matching mags, and a matching numbered holster! I asked the fellow what he wanted for it and he said, "I know it's a good one, so I want $1600.00 firm". After a slow day of trading, and at a time when family came first, Lugers second... all I could muster was a paltry $1375.00... so I thought, what the hell, and offered it to him for the pistol... This really pissed him off!! As he had the identical offer from a dealer earlier... I got home and scraped up the extra cash the next day, but couldn't locate the fellow, and he was not at the show the following year... the year after, the 38 Banner was again on display, same table, same guy, but not for sale at any price! I learned my lesson and have since not gone to shows to buy, unless I'm packing some serious cash! Life's too short for all these lessons! till...later...G.T. <img src="graemlins/jumper.gif" border="0" alt="[jumper]" />