In 95% very sharp original condition, this is one of the very few known documented very early production (V456), 1942 US WWII Coast Guard Contract Smith & Wesson .38 Special Victory Model Revolvers. This Revolver comes with an S&W factory letter which indicates that it was shipped on July 6, 1942 to the Coast Guard Shipyard at Curtis Bay, Maryland.
This was a very small contract and according to Springfield research a few guns have been recorded in this serial range as having been Coast Guard Issue. During WWII, almost all of the Coast Guard Arms were supplied directly by the Navy, however it appears that right at the onset of the War one small Exclusive Coast Guard Contract was accepted. This is certainly among the Rarest and most desirable of the WWII Victory Models and certainly if you are a fan of the Coast Guard, this is probably your only chance to own a documented early WWII Coast Guard issued sidearm. Not to mention that this is in the very first 500 Victory models ever made!
