If it’s new old stock, as you say, it will be 26”.
These questions of “worth” are always entertaining.
“Worth” whatever someone will pay.
Kind of like real estate. What are recent comps? How bad does someone want it NOW?
COMPLETED auction listings are probably the best indicator, but like eBay, they draw a large audience so prices tend to be on the top end of the range. Also, two guys in a bidding war can really skew the data points. Someone wants a ‘55 pre 64 243 because they want to give it to dad for his upcoming birthday (dad was born in ‘55, always wanted one, yada yada.) Price goes way up. I’ve been there.
I stress completed auctions - don’t bother with listed prices of things that haven’t sold. There are more dreamers on GB than a DNC convention.
“I wouldn’t sell mine for that!”
“I’d give x!”
These are always fun to see, but as an indicator of actual worth, probably of somewhat limited utility, unless the responder is an actual potential buyer.
So what are the recent comps on the auction sites? A used model with brake sold for ~$800 in August. Another clean gun is over $700 with 2 days to go. Personally, I’d watch that active auction, use those numbers as a basis, see if they jive with the ask, and decide how much YOU want it.
