What are your thoughts on this issue?

[valediction]

True, I doubt anyone would ever pursue it legally, but that doesn't make it legal. That statement was in regard to someone trying to corner the market in order to make money, which I know was not the original question. In this case I don't think it would matter what the commodity is, it would still be illegal. My answer to the original question is that I don't think it's unethical. I was just taking it a step further to say what I think would be unethical.

- Britt

Unfortunately by definition, any bid on a 1/1 would be an attempt to corner the market.

 

[Meliah]

I'm trying to corner the market on any Choi cards that are #'d....the market just doesn't care

 

[bsatttu]

This was not my topic to begin with, so I am not sure exactly what preserving value meant to the original person. To me, I interpret it as buying a card at a market value and then trying to help maintain that value, or the perception of that value, even if it meant overpaying for something you already had.

If you tried to do that with mid 90s inserts for example, you might find mixed results. Many people have dumped formally great cards at bargain prices in the 2000s to recoup whatever they could in a softening market, however sellers like Burbank Sportscards holds firm, often at what many consider to be inflated prices. I'm sure they are successful often enough to make it worth while, as they are obviously losing on volume sales due to a policy of setting higher pricing to capture the best possible individual sales.

I found myself doing this many times in the past, bidding up Garvey cards I already had. Not minding if I won, but really more wanting the card to sell at a range closer to what I paid for mine. If I won, great. If I lost, the buyer was not getting a bargain at least. I didn't see it as wrong, nor do I now, as long as it's not my items I am bidding up (shilling).

Now, to the cornering the market comment. Are you saying if jaderock (for example) buys all 8 copies of the Fabric of the Game card at market rates, this may be illegal if he intends to resell them? Even if he intended to buy all of them, demand is only so great for an individual player and he may not even be able to make his original investment back. However, if anyone in the marketplace had a chance to buy any one of the copies when they sold originally, how is him outbidding all takers wrong, even if he plans to resell them and thinks he can make a profit by doing it? Chances are he won't make a profit if he was always high bidder, but it could happen.

The funny part about this topic is that on the other site, it seemed quite a few people frowned upon this type of activity! If you weren't buying it purely to own it because you wanted it, it was bad to push up the price!

Sorry. I realize I pretty much got us off topic. I was just saying that, to answer your question directly, no I do not see anything wrong with it. I was merely giving a far fetched example of what I do think is unethical. For the jaderock example, I think it would be at least unethical if someone tried to profit by cornering the market on a certain card/group of cards in order to manipulate the price. Again, I think this would be pretty much impossible to do, though. BTW, good topic.

 

[JamesNevans]

People can make any kind of value consideration they want. When I first started on eBay 10-12 years ago I tried to buy every deal out there, until I started running out of money. Sometimes when the economy is down or there is a glut in the market for a certain rare item I can see buying it until the market turns, it's easier to know perceived values on something you've already owned and maybe just bought. I don't know really if you are trying to keep the value of what you own high, but if you were happy with one at say $15 and another comes along at $2 I think you think there might be some flip value there.

 

[Tribe Fan]

my only problem is who made any one of us the judge and jury as what is to low for any card . I am always looking to get a good deal , I do not collect for investment purposes , if you want to make money try something else .

 

[mintman2]

This thread reminds of the time I split a pair of face cards at the blackjack table and the guy next to me starts giving a bunch of crap because you're not supposed to do it and I "messed up his hand" because I changed when the cards were coming out. I turned to him and said "why don't you mind your own business, it's my money I'll play however I want !!"

I feel the same way about this. It's really nobody elses business how I collect, why I collect, how much money I spend, how I bid, or my motives behind any of it. Heck, in order to create demand I could even buy all five of a card numbered out of five and then make a video showing me burning four of them, thus creating a 1/1 card. It's my money, my cards, I'll do what I want with them. As long as I'm not breaking any rules just mind your own business. You want the card ? Then outbid me.


In my next post I'll tell you how I really feel

 

[bdmac1]

This actually happened to me today. I had picked up a 2009 Topps Triple Threads booklet that has Vlad along with 5 other players. It was the sapphire version, 1/3. I paid $60 for it, which I thought was fair. Well, #2/3 just appeared on Ebay. It sat at $10 on the last day. There is no way I would let one go that cheap. I put a fair bid on it, lower than the $60, I previously paid.

I won it for $40 delivered. I don't have any problem with having both cards. Now, I can keep an eye out for the last 1 and have an entire collection.

Brian