Indiana Certified Personal Property Appraisal
Before you decide what to do with a firearms collection, you need to know what it's actually worth. Not a dealer's offer. Not a guess. A certified appraisal from a qualified professional — documented and defensible.
Serving executors, probate attorneys, trust officers, and families throughout Indiana.
Request an Appraisal — Free Consultation Call 765-445-7814No obligation. We'll call you within one business day.
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Most families and executors face the same question when a collection lands in their hands: what is all this actually worth? Not what a gun shop will give them for it. Not a ballpark. The real, documented, defensible value that a probate court, an insurance carrier, or a divorce attorney can rely on.
That's what a certified appraisal provides. And it's the first step we recommend before any decision is made — whether the collection will be sold, kept, insured, divided, or donated.
Zack Burgess is a Certified Personal Property Appraiser with thirty years of Indiana estate experience and a federally licensed firearms facility. He has appraised collections for probate courts, trust officers, divorce proceedings, insurance carriers, and estate planning attorneys throughout Indiana.
The appraisal credential sits first on his license — before auctioneer, before FFL. Because knowing what something is worth is always the first conversation.
"You can't make a good decision about a collection you don't understand. The appraisal is how you understand it."
These are not hypothetical examples. These are actual appraisals completed for Indiana families, estates, and courts.
The executor of the Kerr estate needed a certified appraisal to satisfy the probate court's requirement for an accurate inventory of personal property. The collection included firearms and edged weapons spanning multiple categories and eras.
Zack Burgess completed a full certified appraisal of the collection — documented, itemized, and court-ready. The appraisal established the collection's fair market value for the estate record.
Documented appraised value: $19,655
In a dissolution of marriage proceeding, firearms are marital property that must be valued before they can be divided or distributed. An attorney retained Burgess Auctions to provide a certified appraisal of the collection for use in the legal proceeding.
The appraisal produced documented fair market values for each firearm — providing the neutral, professional documentation both parties and the court required to move forward.
Certified documentation accepted for dissolution proceedings.
Many families mistake a gun dealer's purchase offer for an appraisal. They are not the same thing — and confusing the two can cost a family significantly.
Appraisal fees are charged on an hourly basis, including travel time, research, and report preparation. The fee does not depend on the appraised value and has no connection to any future auction results.
A certified appraisal serves a different purpose depending on the situation. Here are the most common.
Indiana probate courts require an accurate inventory of personal property. A certified appraisal satisfies that requirement and protects the executor from liability.
A scheduled firearms collection requires documented values for proper coverage. Without a certified appraisal, claims can be disputed or underpaid.
Firearms are marital property. Courts require documented values before assets can be divided. A neutral certified appraisal is the standard both parties can rely on.
IRS rules require a qualified appraisal for non-cash donations over $5,000. Without it, the deduction can be disallowed. We provide the documentation the IRS requires.
Collectors planning ahead need accurate values to make informed decisions about what to leave to whom — and how to structure the transfer. A current appraisal is the foundation.
For serious collectors, a current certified appraisal is the first step in ensuring a lifetime of collecting is transferred with the same intentionality it was built. Know what you have. Plan accordingly.
Most collections include more than firearms. We appraise the complete sporting estate — every category, one engagement.
Handguns
Rifles & Shotguns
Antique & Collectible Firearms
Reloading Equipment
Edged Weapons & Knives
Optics & Scopes
Taxidermy & Mounts
Ammunition
Military Memorabilia
Sporting Goods & Gear
Coins & Precious Metals
Complete Personal Property
Most homeowner and renter policies cover firearms — but only up to a low sublimit, often $1,500 to $2,500 total. For a collector with a significant collection, that coverage gap can be devastating after a theft, fire, or loss.
A scheduled firearms endorsement or a separate collectibles policy solves the problem — but your insurance carrier will require a certified appraisal to issue scheduled coverage. Without documented values, claims can be disputed, underpaid, or denied entirely.
We provide certified insurance appraisals accepted by Indiana insurance carriers. Each firearm is itemized with make, model, serial number, condition, and current fair market value. The report gives your agent exactly what they need to schedule your collection correctly.
If your collection has grown significantly since you last reviewed your coverage — or if you've never had it formally appraised — a current appraisal is the first step in making sure you're actually protected.
Most standard homeowner policies cap firearms coverage at $1,500–$2,500. A scheduled endorsement requires a certified appraisal.
Four steps from first call to final documentation. No surprises.
We discuss what you have, the purpose of the appraisal, and what documentation is needed. No charge for the initial conversation.
Zack visits the collection in person — examining each firearm, documenting condition, identifying make, model, and provenance.
Values are established using current market comparables, auction results, and recognized reference standards — not dealer wholesale prices.
A complete certified appraisal report — itemized, signed, and ready for probate court, your attorney, your insurance carrier, or your estate plan.
It's a fair question — and one we address directly. Burgess Auctions provides both certified appraisals and auction services. Some families and attorneys wonder whether that creates a conflict of interest.
Here is the honest answer: the appraisal and the auction are separate engagements with separate fees. Appraisal fees are charged on an hourly basis, including travel time, research, and report preparation. The fee does not depend on the appraised value and has no connection to any future auction results.
Zack Burgess has no financial incentive to inflate an appraisal value. A higher appraisal does not increase his appraisal fee. And an inflated appraisal that doesn't hold up in court or in the auction room damages the professional relationship he has spent thirty years building.
His appraisal credential is the foundation of long-standing professional relationships with Indiana estate attorneys, trust officers, and fiduciaries throughout the state.
Zack Burgess is a Certified Personal Property Appraiser — credentialed for probate, insurance, estate planning, divorce, and charitable donation appraisals. He has been appraising Indiana estates for thirty years from his base in Knightstown, Indiana.
As one of fewer than 1% of auctioneers nationwide to hold the CAI designation, and as an FFL-licensed dealer with a dedicated firearms facility, Zack brings a combination of credentials to firearms appraisal that no other Indiana appraiser can match.
If your client's estate includes a firearms collection, you need appraisal documentation that will hold up — in court, with the IRS, and with insurance carriers. Burgess Auctions provides certified appraisals that meet the standard your proceedings require.
We work regularly with Indiana probate attorneys, bank trust departments, divorce attorneys, and court-appointed administrators. Our reports are itemized, signed, and delivered on the timeline your matter requires.
Call Zack Burgess directly at 765-445-7814 to discuss a matter. Professional referrals are handled with discretion and on your timeline.
Straightforward answers to what families and attorneys ask most often.
If you've inherited a gun collection and don't know where to begin, start with a conversation. You don't need to have a plan before you call us. You don't need to know what anything is worth. You don't even need to know what all of it is.
We can explain the appraisal process, walk you through your options, and help you understand whether an appraisal, an outright purchase, a consignment auction, or a complete estate liquidation is the best fit for your situation. Many families find that just understanding their options — before making any decisions — gives them the peace of mind they need to move forward. If you've inherited firearms and aren't sure where to start, our page on what to do with inherited guns in Indiana may help.
The first conversation is free. We'll call you within one business day.
Start the ConversationTell us about the collection and your situation. We'll call you within one business day. No obligation — just a conversation.
We will call you within one business day. Your information is kept completely private.
