[Leica] M6 HM rare or not?

[Photovilla@aol.com]

>>All this talk of the non TTL M6HM becoming scarce is starting to spook me.
I am starting to think twice about using mine, lest it starts showing more
and more signs of wear.    I stopped using my old Wetzlar M6 for the same
reason, at the time I bought the HM,  thinking that it might become
valuable one day.  I have two M6s and I'm afraid to use either of them!

Am I crazy?

Dan C.<<

Dan,

The M6 HM is ALREADY rare. Only 3100 were made. It just so happens that many 
of them are still in circulation...just wait 10 years from now. 

The Wetzlar M6 I believe was made in much greater quantities (I don't know 
how many but I'm sure someone here does)...and though it hasn't been made in 
some years I have yet met a collector who would pay a premium for it.

Now, on use: I say what the heck! 

My working cameras are a M6 HM and a Titanium M6. Did I lower the value of 
them? Yes, probably, but that is what they are for. If you are looking purely 
for investment you'd probably do better pound for pound with a black M2, M3 
or M4. (or the stock market of course.) It is going to be a long time before 
anyone pays big money for any M6 no matter how rare it is.

I have sold many M6 HM's now and I will say that a New USA one should fetch 
about $2700. (I sold a _bunch_ at this price.) The Mint- ones seem to go for 
between $2095-$2295 depending on how many are on the market at the moment. As 
for my "inflated prices" I can only defend myself by saying that I sell at 
what the market will bear. I base my prices on what I see in SB, on the web, 
at the shows, even <shudder> at ebay.

When they finally are _really_ scarce to find my guess is that they wind up 
somewhere around $4k. Now THAT is an inflated price! ;-)  (Maybe that is my 
wishful thinking? ) In any case, it won't be before the turn of the 
millenium!<g>

later,
Rich