Re: R4S-P/ R Collectibility

[Steve <cameras@jetlink.net>]

seungmin@luxmail.luxcom.com wrote:
 
>      I was talking to just another Leicaphile last night.  He mentioned a
>      possibility of R4S-P being collectible because it was produced in low
>      volume like less than 10,000 for about three years.  What is your
>      opinion?  Also for curiosity, approximately how many of the R5, R6 and
>      RE have been produced?  What year was the last production for each
>      model?

From a standpoint of today's collector's market, only the Leica
Rangefinders are really considered collectible.

Of the R's, only the all mechanical versions (Leicaflex/SL/SL2) are
perceived to have marginal collectibility IF they are in mint or near
mint condition.

Even the special edition R's like the Gold and Safari versions are very
hard sells, and even then they sell for less than their rarity would
indicate.

There is no practical chance that the R4S-P will ever be considered a
collectible in our lifetime--unless Leica ceases production and then ALL
Leicas might  become collectible.

I am not sure of the production figures of the R5 etc, but 30,000 is an
awful lot of cameras if they have no collector value--like the R4S-P.

The only buyers of R stuff today--or at least say 95% even counting the
early models--are users.


Stephen Gandy