Value question

[Wayniac]

I have a S&W .38 special. The date on the frame is 1905-06. The gun has been in the family since the turn of the 20th century. My Great granddad was a railroad man and it was his RR issue service revolver.
It is nickel plated, but the plating is in bad shape. It is flaking and falling off.
My question...
Is the gun worth anything significant?
And, if it is, will having the gun replated hurt the worth of the gun.

I would love to have someone replate the gun so it looks new and original, but i just dont know if i am destroying any value the gun may have in its present state.

Any info will be appreciated.

 

[Logan5]

As a rule, refinishing will always lower collector value. The way people generally decide whether to refinish or not is to 1) figure out what the gun in question is worth in it's present condition, 2) find out what refinishing would cost, and 3) mostly go ahead and do what they wanted to do in the first place regardless.