[wptw]

First, let me respond to some statements.

KappaStargirl:
“Personally, I cannot understand why anyone would want to bid so high on a badge from an organization to which they did not belong unless they are mean and disrespectful and spiteful.”

Do you honestly believe that collectors spend hundreds of $$ of their hard-earned cash on an antique badge simply out of spite? That's absurd. Being mean and disrespectful and spiteful is free. So if you’re inclined to be that way (personally I’m not), why pay $1200?


CutiePie2000:
“In all likelihood, none of us here on GC are independently wealthy and can afford to out-bid the die hard collectors on E Bay.”

You think collectors are independently wealthy? From your lips to god’s ears, my dear! Would that it were true, but alas, ‘tis just another of many generalizations about collectors.


BrianMUDU:
“I'm sure the people who were bidding on it had no idea that it belonged to a brother who graduated from Amherst in 1885.:

Don’t be so sure. Who do you think are buying the antique directories off of ebay? The auction you referred to was indeed won by a collector. But you neglect to mention that the last 10 or so old DU badges on ebay in the last year went to a DU member (who happened to be the 2nd highest bidder in this auction). By my math, that tells me 91% of the time you’re bidding against your own brother, not a collector.

But this is my point exactly! DU already has someone fighting hard for their badges. Bravo for him, seriously. Most other groups do too. So what purpose does “HEADS UP DU’s – YOUR BADGE IS ON EBAY” serve? Just more acrimony and higher prices.

By the way, do you really believe after spending $355, this guy is going to throw that DU badge into “some bin with a bunch of other pins”?

Shadokat:
“My guess is that your problem is that you are a pin collector, so maybe the prices you're willing to pay for pins is quite a bit less than a National Headquarters is willing to pay to save a badge, so you're a bit miffed”

Are you crazy? As a collector, I LOVE high prices on ebay. If I need to sell off a duplicate, ebay is the best place. I rarely buy from ebay – there always have been and always will be less expensive places to find nice pins. That’s the whole point – you’re not taking these pins out of collectors hands! You’re making us pay more for them, sure. But we’ll keep paying the high prices just like you will, because we want them just as much as you want them. Think about it – as prices have gone up, would you say collectors win auctions (a) more often, (b) less often or (c) with about the same frequency? I say (c) and possibly even (a). In the end, nothing will change except the dealers will have more money. That’s all I’m saying.

“I could be wrong, but I don't really understand why someone out of the blue sends me an email as you did, and tells me that while noble, my actions are not very helpful.”

Clearly you don’t understand. The answer is: Because I’m not just a collector, that’s why. I’m also a GLO member. And as a GLO member, I don’t want to see dealers profiting excessively from the sale of my badge any more than any of you do.



No need to poll the audience. I already know mine is the dissenting opinion. I didn’t post here to win friends. And I don’t need to have people agree with me to know I’m right. I’m not here to troll or start trouble either. I have a different opinion than all of you, I think I have some solid arguments to back up my opinion, and I’m stating those arguments all the while treating all of you with respect (which is more than I can say for some of you who insist on stereotyping and insulting collectors).

wptw