[raulus]

I buy them wherever I can find them!!

Typically it seems like a lot of lower-end (and some mid-range) pieces are on eBay. So if that’s what I’m looking for, then eBay is often where I’m going to find it. Needless to say, the Rosen Mantle isn’t likely to be listed on eBay, although every once in a while something really nice will come up there.

A lot of high end stuff tends to come up on auction houses. Not that they don’t also have plenty of pieces that are middling too. But most of the really nice stuff that will go for 5 or 6 figures seems to end up at an auction house. Back when I first started collecting, this used to really piss me off, mostly because it seemed like the 20% bidder premium was ignored by buyers. Over time, I’ve realized it’s about my only option if I really want to buy nice stuff.

Every once in a while, someone will have a piece that I really want, but they’re not looking to sell it publicly. Maybe they are only willing to sell it to the right collection or collector. Maybe they don’t really want to advertise that it’s for sale, because maybe it’s not really for sale. Maybe they’re only really willing to let it go for a “make me move” price. Whatever the reason, sometimes it’s how you get connected to an item. While it’s definitely not common for me, some of the most impossible pieces to find have come to me through private sales. So in that way, it’s certainly a good way to go. Obviously the big challenge here is getting plugged in with other collectors. For me, it’s largely been a function of other collectors reaching out through the PSA set registry, or through collectors in our world who seem to know almost everyone, and are always keeping their eyes open to help facilitate an acquisition for me.

I will admit as an amateur economist that I tend to prefer the process of setting a price that comes through an auction. That way I know (barring auction hijinks) that I’m not just bidding against myself. At the same time, if you’re around long enough, especially for impossible-to-find items, you start to develop a good sense of what is a reasonable price for an item, and what is not.

Bottom line for me is to be flexible. And to always decide on what price works for you and what doesn’t. And don’t be afraid to back away from any venue if the deal isn’t right. Just be prepared for the non-buyer’s remorse that comes if you chose not to get something that you really really wanted.