Wantlists - to share or not to share (and why?)

[G1911]

If they are easily found cards, no reason not too.

If it's a toughie that is known, no reason not too.

If it is a tough card that is known to exist but people don't realize, for example, that particular front/back combination is rare, I put it on my public want list in a way that doesn't highlight it as a rarity, but just a card I need.

If it is a card unknown to the hobby, I generally keep it quiet until I secure one, before I out it, if I do. Sometimes I bring it up and out it, specifically because it will bring one out that I can then 'overpay' for to acquire. If sellers don't know there is a variation or something making a card desirable, it will sit in their stack of cheap extras not worth selling forever.

There are also certain unknown variations that I just really like, and don't mention because others will simply drive the price up on me as I buy them up. I'm buying them because I like them with no intent to publicize and sell later, and I don't want the extra attention. This applies to tough but not super tough variations.

There are a couple hobby pals I would consider friends that I share more with, on the understanding it stays private and they don't publicly out a card we need. Usually I will send them a copy of the card in question if it's one I'm sort of hoarding on the downlow.

Academically, I'd rather share everything, but realistically, sometimes it's just screwing myself to do it, as the profiteers who don't care about the card but see an opportunity to get in early on a tougher variant jump in.