To fight boredom people usually start a hobby or begin to collect things. Starting a collection is kinda interesting to pursue. You can commence by collecting “ho-hum” items like stamps, baseball cards, and the like. If you’re the type who refuses to grow up – try comic books. If you are quite eccentric, you can start collecting bizzare things like: moist towelettes, burnt food, and navel fluffs (things only you can appreciate)! Now, if the money inside your wallet is equal to, say, a bank’s reserve, then you should start collecting pricey items like expensive vintage cars, luxury watches, antiques, and… legislators?
A particular type of collectibles some people might be interested in are expensive collectible weapons. The weapons that will be discussed here are not the ones you can ilegally purchase from your local gun runner, but the ones you can acquire from certified antique dealers. So basically, these are the weapons your grandfather’s grandfather are more acquainted to.
The question is, is it a wise decision for one to invest money in collectible weapons? Wally Beinfeld, Director of Antique Arms Show, said that he has witnessed the collectible arms industry grow considerably in the past 50 years. Fagan Arms proprietor, William Fagan, noted that the price of several types of antique weapons and armor have recently jumped. Meaning, if you have a 16th-century open-face helmet worn with a suit of armor, known as burgonets, which was once sold for $27.50 through magazine ads – you can jump for joy since they can sell for about $5,000 these days.
Here are some of the collectible weapons collectors go gaga for:
Scottish Basket Hilt Broadsword
According to William Fagan the market for Scottish weapons is healthy since the lore surrounding Scotland’s rebellion against the British crown is attached to it (kudos to William Wallace). Fagan sold a Scottish basket-hilted broadsword for $6,900.
Suit of Armor
The European armor, which looks like the comical armor ubiquitous in a Scooby-doo cartoon series, was sold by William Fagan for $56,000. The circa 1570-type of plate armor replaced riveted mail in the 14th century.
Antique German Broadsword
This particular engraved German broadsword, according to the seller, was forged for a nobleman. For centuries, broadswords were used throughout Europe and relatively had wide blades. It often had basket hilts to shield the wielders hand. William Fagan offers this for $38,000.
Halberds from Poland
William Fagan sold these pair to the Palace of the Dukes of Lithuania. It was priced at $13,200. This pair of Halberds, circa 1695, were from the guard of Augustus the Strong – the king of Poland whose past time includes breaking horseshoes with his bare hands and engaging in fox tossing with a single finger (his version of flipping coins using a live fox?). Halberds were widely used by foot soldiers against horsemen in Europe during the 14th to the 16th centuries. It consists of an axe blade topped with a spike mounted on a long shaft (the best tool for stabbing people and chopping woods at the same time). Probably the granddaddy of the Swiss army knife (bottle openers not included).
Italian Barbute
This may look like the bicentennial man’s hippy wig, but this rare north Italian barbute which dates back from the late 15th to early 16th century was sold for more than $81,000 by Christie’s Auction House.
Scar Face’s Colt Pistol
Al Capone’s nickel-plated .38-caliber Police Positive six-shot double-action Colt revolver, 
with checkered walnut grips bearing the Colt medallion was sold for $109,000 by Christie’s Auction House in June. Similar pistols often sell for around $1000, but since there is a sworn affidavit and paper trail that the six-shooter once belonged to Scar Face, then price would definitely shoot up (or the Capones will start shooting somebody!).