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Value of US Navy Mark 46 Practice Torpedo

M8owner

Well-Known Member
If I found one of these in its shipping crate, complete and in good condition, may I request your input on value?
 

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If I found one of these in its shipping crate, complete and in good condition, may I request your input on value?

It is like most big stuff, it has no intrinsic value, beyond scrap metal cost. What you want to pay and what they will sell it for, that is the value of that item, for that moment. But having no intrinsic value, just because you fell in love with it does not mean others will share your love (value). If you pay $100 or $1000 for it today, would someone pay you that for it tomorrow, next week or next year, without you having to hunt or wait for months on end? If not, it does not have the value.

The same thing came up over a decade ago when the 16-inch rounds were being sold in Indiana. Overnight people were saying that they were "worth" $1000. Within a few years many of the people were tired of them and trying to get rid of them. Most were then finding out that the value they had put on them was not widely shared. At SLICS about 5 years ago I was approached three times by different collectors trying to get rid of the their 16-inch rounds. The first two stating that I just didn't understand the true value. The third said he had been trying to get rid of the damned thing for 4 years, and would I just please take it, no charge.

Pay what you want, be happy, don't look back. And never tell the wife (by agreement, with mine).

Recognize also that a number of items like this, which could still be considered "tech" type items, are out on the free market only until the DOD finds out that you have them. They have teams of DOD Special Investigators tasked with finding these materials and bringing them home. There is no list of items, it appears to be up to their discretion on what "meets the criteria". They operate under laws passed immediately after 9-11 that are very loosely written and give them great freedom to locate and seize. As I was told by one of the officers; they don't care where you got it, when it was made, if it was scrapped, if you have a receipt from the government. If they want it they will come, and you will give it to them. The interesting part is that they have no authority to take it. They can however, ask for it. The act of you saying no, is a felony.
 
About 8 years ago, I was offered one in its transport case, for $9,000.00. I think it was a MK46 early MOD? I passed.

Jason
 
Very hard to give a value to that kind of item. When sold on the internet (aircraft bombs, torpedo's, sea mines, missiles) they are often offered as the "ultimate man cave decoration". Another disadvantage is that nearly almost allways all the inner works are gone, either they are practice or drill. So I have to agree with US -Subs that is very hard to give a true value. But …..thanks to the internet your chances of reaching that one person that has been looking for this thing all his life are bigger than ever.
 
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