But Peter, I don't think I'm pointing the finger after the fact because it looks clearer that way. I'm more genuinely dumbfounded that someone would do this with someone else's property, especially on such a large scale.
It's not like people gave them money to invest. Or entered the transaction from a commercial standpoint with all of the normal commercial risks. These were individuals that sent specific pieces of property to Mastro simply to sell, keep a cut and pass on the proceeds.
Again, this is where I'm not sure if I am naive or not. I have never consigned to an auction house, but if I did I would not have the foggiest notion that I am undertaking commercial risks normally associated with business. It would be my actual physical and identifiable card that I'm sending. What could go wrong? If anything happens, I just get my card back, right?
That's what I'd think, anyways. Probably the reason that I am sympathetic to the consignors is because it could so so so easily be me, and no doubt I would absolutely NEVER have seen it coming - would never even have considered the possibility of someone selling my cards and keeping the money as I made the decision to consign.
J
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