One of the signature services offered by Colt’s Manufacturing Company, the Colt Archive Letter is universally recognized as the best evidence that a firearm is a genuine Colt and not a counterfeit. For the serious collector, an Archive Letter authenticating your gun is one of the smartest investments you can make.
What is a Colt Archive Letter? Colt’s Manufacturing Company is fortunate to have retained virtually all of its records of firearms sold by the factory from the early 1870’s to the present. As a result, we have the unique ability to trace your firearm to its origins and not only to verify its authenticity but also to certify when and to whom it was originally sold.
Here’s how to obtain a Colt Archive Letter. Start by contacting the Archive Department. After obtaining a description and the serial number from your gun, the Archive Department will search through the Company’s archives. Once they locate your gun in the archives and after receipt of payment, the Archive Department will provide you with a personal letter outlining all the fine points of your firearm, including the original specifications and delivery information. If the gun left the factory with custom engraving or other special features, those will typically be noted as well.
All Colt Archive Letters are written on the Archive Department's own distinctive stationery and are embossed with the official seal and signature of the Colt Historian.To see our Archive Services Price List, please
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To contact Colt Archive Services directly please call:
1-800-962-COLT (2658)
for Beverly Haynes - Colt Archives Supervisor - ext: 1391
for Joe Canali - Historical Research Sales Coordinator - ext: 1343