REA as the "State of the Hobby"

[MattyC]

Agreed, and it all depends on the item. If it was just two guys that drove it initially and no one new has decided to pursue the item in the intervening years, then yes, that could be a problem. But that dreaded scenario is specific to the case of two bidders and only those two interested parties all the way until resale. I'd venture that more often than not, with time, and with high-end items that are desirable to many, there will always be at least two to tango and make sure the price stays in the ballpark. The resale scenario also brings into account one's expectations. Some guys take the loss of even a dollar as a debacle. Others think breaking even is a triumph, when they have gotten such joy out of owning a cherished piece. So there are a lot of variables in play.