There a millions, if not hundreds of millions of firearm models out there since the gun was invented over 1,000 years ago in China. Within those various models of guns, there are many different types: from rifles to shotguns, and from pistols to automatic weapons. Like anything else in life, some guns cost more money that others. One would perhaps guess that the most expensive gun would be some modern firearm packed with insane technology and capable of many different things. However this is not the case. The most expensive gun, actually guns, are quite old and simple. The history surrounding them is not.
Arguably some of the most significant firearms in American history, and the most expensive guns ever sold were two 18th century saddle pistols that were used personally by the first president of the United States, and the leader of the American Revolutionary Army: George Washington. These firearms are a pair of French, steel-mounted saddle pistols with beautiful gold and silver inlays and were known to have seen action. The firearms were kept in extremely good condition over the years. The pistols have been in private hands for more than 200 years, and were even owned by president Andrew Jackson himself.
The pistols were sold at a Christies auction back in 2002 for $1,986,000 dollars, or $993,000 per pistol. The buyer was the Richard King Mellon Foundation which purchased the pistols to be displayed for public viewing, rather than kept in the private hands of some mystery buyer. The pistols themselves are currently on display at Fort Ligonier near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
These pistols are arguably some of the most famous in the entire history of the United States. Given their background and history, it should be no surprise why these pistols were auctioned off for so much, and why they are the most expensive guns ever sold.
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