Colt stopped designating guns as a Colt Commemorative in the mid-1980s. Commemorative guns are not high on my list. In fact, they are not on my list at all. Colt produced Commemorative Guns throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
My Deceased Brother Gifted This Gun To Me Before He Died
Do any of you readers own a gun that you will never part with? This is mine. It will be passed on if I die or go to assisted living in my old age, but I will never sell or trade it away. It is likely not a gun I would have ever bought, but because my brother gave it to me, it is special.
Colt manufactured this gold-plated (washed) single-action-.22-caliber revolver in 1961. The commemorative was only offered through Kansas dealers. The first revolver in this series was presented to the Governor of Kansas in the year of the Centennial.
My late brother gifted this gun to me. I have wanted to shoot it many times, but I always change my mind after getting it out of the cabinet. It is unfired since leaving the factory and I have read that the value is $300 to $600, the $300 being fired and the $600 being unfired.
This gun will never be sold by me because of the sentimental value, so I do not mind that it would cost me $300 to fire it just once. I do believe that one day before I die I will take it out and shoot it. Our family has no ties to Kansas and my guess is that my brother likely horse-traded for the gun rather than buying it. I have put a note to my heirs in the case that I like to think that they will keep it and shoot it.
If you have an interest in old Colt Commemoratives, there are some books available on the subject. Some are out of print, but often you can find a used one on Amazon for a fair price. Search for old books on Colt Commemoratives now.
Collector Exception
And Then There Is This One ...
Some commemoratives are safe queens by design. Others have enough attitude to feel right at home in a holster.
1986 Colt Double Diamond Officer's Model .45. In 1986, to celebrate 150 years in business, Colt issued 1,000 Double Diamond sets. The sets included a 6 inch bright stainless steel Python, a bright stainless steel Officer's Model, display case, key, medallion and perhaps a belt buckle.
In 2020 I saw one of these sets sell for $9,000 at auction. Over the years, I passed not once, but twice on buying a set because I knew they would be “safe queens” which is against my self-imposed rule of do not buy it if you will not shoot it.
A Commemorative I Can Carry and Shoot
Don’t you feel silly carrying a commemorative gun? Are you kidding me? This is one of the most bada** guns you could ever strap on!
One particular Commemorative Colt that I regularly see up for auction and it always catches my eye, is the “Battle of the Marne.” It commemorates the French and British Armies forcing the Imperial German Army to retreat 40 miles from the Marne River in World War I. As attractive as I find this gun, I would feel a bit silly carrying it and firing it. Just me.
A Unique Combination of the Colt Officer's Model and the Colt Combat Commander. This exceptional firearm is a unique combination of the Colt Officer's model and the Colt Combat Commander, merging the best features of both to create a handgun that is not only a marvel of engineering but also a work of art. Check out my Colt Combat Stallion, a Special Edition 1 of 350 guns from 1988.
About Greg Cook
Greg Cook writes about firearms collecting, personal history, and the stories behind interesting guns. His Army MOS was 76Y, Unit Armorer, and he brings that practical background to his collector articles.