Beretta Builds 296 Pistols to Mark Its 1526 Founding Sale
Beretta is producing exactly 296 examples of the 92FS Ducato 500 Years Limited Edition, one for each ducat paid to Bartolomeo Beretta on October 3, 1526. That payment is the first documented transaction in the history of the company, which now claims the title of the world's oldest industrial dynasty. The pistol uses a DLC-finished steel frame, grips cut from millennia-old fossilized Abonos oak, and gold inserts that replicate both faces of a Venetian ducat. Each gun ships in a handcrafted case alongside an authentic 16th-century ducat.
Key Details
The run is capped at 296 units, tied directly to the purchase price of the original sale. Gold "500 Years" engraving appears on both the slide and frame. The grips are the standout material choice: fossilized Abonos oak, a wood that has spent millennia underground, paired with gold ducat faces set into the panels. The case is part of the package, not an accessory. Buyers get a physical 16th-century coin with the pistol, which makes this as much a numismatic piece as a firearm.
Why It Matters for Gun Owners
For most shooters this is a collector's piece, not a range gun. Limited runs of 296 with precious-metal detailing and period artifacts typically trade well above the cost of a standard 92FS, and the resale ceiling depends on how many collectors chase the anniversary. Anyone who buys one to shoot should expect the finish and gold inserts to show wear faster than a standard service-finish pistol. The 92 platform itself remains a proven, widely serviced double-action design with abundant aftermarket support, so parts availability is not a concern. Owners who want the piece on a belt or in a safe should verify the rules in their state for handling and transporting limited-edition firearms, as well as any registration requirements that apply to their purchase location.
DownRange Analysis
Commemorative pistols live or die on scarcity and provenance, and Beretta has built this one on both. The 296-unit cap is a sound marketing decision because it ties the number to a verifiable historical fact instead of an arbitrary figure. Whether this survives as a collector item depends on dealer allocation and whether buyers hold it sealed. The guns that matter to shooters are the standard 92FS and its variants, which remain reliable and affordable. If you want this Ducato, decide now whether you are buying it to shoot or to store. Those two goals pull in opposite directions with a pistol this finished, and the answer determines whether you should accept the premium price at all.
