Have you ever withheld info about an item?

[Mark]

Five minutes ago, before reading this thread, I was telling my wife about something that I think I've figured out about a certain type of item. We agreed that it would be a good idea to keep our eyes open---before too many others figured it out, too. So, include me.

[pherbener]

I've noticed that a grading company always mislabels a certain type of item so I'm always watching for them. Sometimes the error can workout in my favor. I have pm'ed friends here if they've picked up these, letting them know but I won't share it widely.

[Snapolit1]

Cool thread. I wish I knew enough to figure something out that 1000 people on the board didn't already know.

[cfhofer]

If I have insider information which may help another collector I gladly share it. I try to always remember this is just a hobby from my youth.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Sometimes the yellow tongue 1952 topps card House comes out or theres a grayback thats not described acccurately

[Mark]

Originally Posted by cfhofer

If I have insider information which may help another collector I gladly share it. I try to always remember this is just a hobby from my youth.

Yours is a good and honorable approach, and I share what little information that I gather with other, individual collectors. I think we should help all new collectors in on what most veteran collectors know. In hobbies like astronomy or bird-watching, it would be very perverse to play it close to the vest. But this hobby usually involves collecting, and what we collect can be scarce. Some feel competitive about it. Sometimes, it seems to pay to keep things quiet until you accumulate a certain amount, after which you broadcast what you've found so that what you have is generally recognized as legitimate and rare. In my opinion, if you find a previously unknown variation of a baseball card, it is understandable to search for the variation on ebay for a couple of weeks before spreading the news. It would be nice if it was the kind of hobby where people passed along their duplicate t206 Planks and duplicate Babe Ruth bats to others who don't have them. Probably not happening soon, though.

[steve B]

To me it depends on a few things.

General info about something I usually share, and stuff about things with limited appeal like 91 Topps or that sort of thing. I'm happier to have someone else that collects the weird stuff.

And I'll generally answer a direct question about something if I know the answer.

But about stuff that's for sale? Nope.
I find stuff, especially stamps pretty regularly where a valuable variety isn't recognized, Or ones where the seller just hasn't done any research whatsoever.
I may have an occasional twinge of regret if it's not a dealer, but looking stuff up is so easy these days that's as far as it goes.

The exception is dealers whose shops I go to. I'll share info with them. But the stamp guy I go to usually responds with "That's interesting, you should buy it." He's told me that as long as he makes his money he's at a minimum ok with someone else making a bit more.

He had a postcard by Mucha that he got from another dealer fairly expensive but not familiar. Sold to a customer who collected Mucha postcards, on a hey I found this for you sort of offer. Paid like 50, got 500. Collector turns around and sells it to a big dealer for 1000. Big dealer sells it internationally for 5000 and it ends up in a major European auction and sells for 10,000.
Turns out it was previously unknown and a pretty big deal for people who collect those.
Happiness all around as everyone made money.

[cfhofer]

Mark,

I agree. The stakes are higher when a monetary value is associated with the hobby. Unfortunately, not much money in bird-watching these days. If there was we would be hiding an Asian Crested Ibis in our basement instead. I never understood why some are so competitive in this hobby. If a "precious" piece of memorabilia turns us into Gollum maybe we should just buy a pair of binoculars.