[Mdmtx]

Daryl,

I fully understand your point and can appreciate that view. However, since long before any of us in this forum were even a glimmer in our parents eyes, sellers have been manipulating buyers to create additional margin or to mitigate losses. I stand by my statement that if you never pay more than you desire to spend, your disappointment level should be minimal even if the values crash.

If you just think about the sports card market only, without buyer manipulation mantle rookies may still be trading at 900 bucks. Although that is a neat idea, how many people would be scrambling to put first rate material on the market with little to no return.

And I used buyer manipulation on purpose. Shilling is not the only method to create false value. Sales pressure, collusion, hype, misleading statements, inventory control and many more, all contribute to price increases. But when items begin trading at the new levels it is no longer false value. The first buyer is the dupe and he (she) sets the bar. The others are now paying market price.

P.S. I'm not an Econ professor Or play one on tv, but I did stay at a holiday inn express last night.