How do you Value a NIB double digit serial pistol?

I posted this in the automatic pistol section and received a suggestion to ask here in the collection section. Thank you for all your ideas and input.

I own and love two Ruger pistols a SR9C in SS and a LCP in SS plus some other rifles.

I have the opportunity to purchase from a friend a P345 in SS. But more importantly a NIB P345 serial number 00012. Never been shot, racked or dry fired. I know its not a high number role over. It is the 12th one stamped.

I am curious as to what the RugerForum.com community thinks this gun is worth. I want to purchase it as my first collector gun, not a shooter. My friend it an old Ruger collector and has offered it to me at the retail price on ruger.com of $650.

Any ideas or suggestions on the value of this gun or any single/double digit Rugers would be appreciated. Thank you!

Is is a good deal?

I'd not hesitate. A "real" two digit gun, especially a very low s/n, is quite the prize!

JMHO,

flatgate

I'd buy it! Low two digits guns are very hard to come by, Coogs

BUT ( caveat) is it the "FIRST" of any series or 'run' of numbers or the next prefix?? we see this often, and it has NO extra value....sorry
yes, if the "first" one, then by all means if you can, then go for it.........

Yes...I agree that single and two-digit Ruger of any model should be worth their weight in gold, but from past experience, unless it is a model like a gold label shotgun, trap shotgun or .357 Maximum etc., anything 1973 and after, owners are lucky to get between current dealer and retail for such guns, and they seem to sit for a while even at that price unless you can find somebody who has a specialized collection of a particular model. From past experience, the centerfire autos especially are a tough sell. If you can get it for between dealer and retail price, you will eventually have equity built up in the model....unless the "P" series autos suddenly go gangbusters with collectors.
On the other hand, it also depends somewhat on who used to have that serial number direct from the factory. In this case it was Walt Sych who was with Bill Ruger if I remember correctly as far back as the Ruger corp days before SR& Co was founded. Walt was still with us when he would have received the KP345 you are speaking of....it should have a 664- prefix. So the provenance is good. But will that matter to the next owner?
Chet15

I have P85 serial no. 32 and would love to get $650 out of it but the highest offer I got when trying to sell it a few years ago was $400 (was asking $600). And it should actually have more future collector significance than later models since it was Ruger's very first centerfire auto. But collector interest seems thin. I still have it.