Varieties of SKS in 2013 Q1
The Russian SKS continues to lead the overall pack with consistently reliable prices. 2012 saw the average price for a Russian SKS crossing the $500.00 line, and the Russian SKS held above the 2012 average in the first quarter of 2013 while availability remained strong with at least 400 listings found every month.
Q1 2013 Russian SKS Sale Price Trend |
Russian SKS Listings in Q1 2013 |
The top end of the Russian SKS market included examples from Izhevsk and the majority were from 1953 or 1954.
| Month | Title | Bids | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1953r russian sks no x d out serial numbers | 23 | 1000 | |
| January | Russian SKS Izhevsk 1954 All Matching Primo | 29 | 1180 | |
| February | SKS Russian 1950s Manufactured Vietnam Trophy Nickel Pltd Bayonet Carbine Unfired New Magazine | 2 | 1000 | |
| February | UNISSUED COLLECTOR GRADE TULA RUSSIAN SKS 7.62X39 | 26 | 1225 | |
| February | Russian SKS 1953 TULA | 18 | 1125 | |
| February | SKS Russian Izhevsk RARE | 19 | 1425 | |
| February | ORIGINAL RUSSIAN SKS 7.62 X 39 MATCHING SERIAL #S | 2 | 1099.62 | |
| February | RUSSIAN SKS SEMI AUTO RIFLE-IZHEVSK 1953 EXCELLENT CONDITION- MATCHING NUMBERS-ORG. FINISH | 23 | 1025 | |
| March | RUSSIAN SKS TULA 1954 Unfired Condition | 16 | 1045 | |
| March | Russian SKS 1954 Izhevsk NOT A REFURB MINT | 14 | 1110.05 |
The SKS collector on a budget shouldn't dispair, as it was still possible to score an example of a Russian SKS for less than $400.00 as the examples in the table below show.
| Month | Title | Bids | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Russian SKS 1953r Tula | 1 | 350 | |
| January | Russian SKS | 1 | 375 | |
| February | Russian SKS 7.62x39 | 16 | 356.02 | |
| February | Russian SKS CAI SKS made in Russia 7.62x39 | 1 | 399.99 | |
| February | Russian SKS 7.62x39 mfg. 1950 | 12 | 375 | |
| March | RUSSIAN SKS | 12 | 361 | |
| March | Russian SKS Matching #s CCCP 7.62x39 | 17 | 361 |
A sub-division in the Russian SKS space that bridges to the Chinese SKS is the Sino-Soviet SKS. The Sino-Soviet classification became muddy in 2012 with the introduction of a batch of "Sino-'banian" SKS. These are fairly easy to differentiate in person, or when a number of pictures are posted in a listing, but much harder to split apart from only the title of a listing. With only a few (< 10) Sino-SKS confirmed sales in Q1 of 2013, only the number of listings is graphed below.
Sino-Soviet SKS Listings in Q1 2013 |
The Albanian SKS is another variety that leads the pack in price. Due to the rarity of the Albanian SKS, the collector appeal is baked into this rare variety.
2013 Albanian SKS Sale Price Trend |
Legend: Green Line: Average price Red Line: Highest price Blue Line: Lowest price Given the low number of Albanian SKS sales compared to the wider SKS market, the Albanian SKS had a large variance of price. The GunStockMarket found 28 Albanian SKS sales in thr first three months of 2013. Around $400.00 had been a fair price for an Albanian SKS throughout most of 2012, however the Albanian SKS has crossed the $500.00 average price for the begining of 2013. As always, condition matters greatly in the price. |
Yugoslavian variants of the SKS, the original M59 and the M59/66, are very popular in both the original form and as a platform for modification. Both versions have continued the strong sales they showed in 2012, with the M59 price rising over the end of 2012 average and the M59/66 dropping slightly compared to the end of 2012. Orignality of a Yugoslavian SKS is not the only factor driving prices as modified versions trade at about the same prices as original examples.
Yugoslavian M59 SKS |
Yugoslavian M59/66 SKS |