Can you guys enlighten me why this Colt AR was so desirable??

[scottryan]

Again, any firearm that continues to appreciate is collectable in my eyes...being mint & in the original box just adds more points. I had a opportunity to buy a NIB M16 about a decade ago for $6k & if it came around again, I sure wouldn't pass it by because the packaging was missing.

That isn't a realistic/fair example.

Anyone would buy that for $6k because it is priced extremely under market value.

[Cokie]

Don't most pre ban AR's sell for around $1600? People watch for stuff on gunbroker, no way they would let a 4K gun go to someone else for the price it sold.

NIB is worth more obviously, but collectable and desireable are very different things. Scotty is right it's not collectable, but there are good reasons some would buy it.