Wendywu
Yeah but I have never been in any shop where they tell me that what I am buying is cheaper down the road ....... caveat emptor and all that.
Bohemian Gothic Pewter Anybody?
ilweran
Disa said:
I did, bought a second copy to sell at a profit, but ended up giving it as a gift to a friend. As I said I'm just rubbish at capitalism
Wendywu said:
Could be. Or they bought it then lost their job, need money to pay a bill etc. Who knows?
Rob
Believe it or not, this is a good sign.
Each time there's a new cash-cow trend in collecting (remember baseball cards? Comic books, especially Superman? Hess trucks?), EVERYONE starts speculating on it. As soon as the "media" (in our case, the entire community) gets wind of a few people making a lot of money selling a particular collectible, everyone jumps in. Everyone buys more decks than they need in hopes of selling one or more for profit later. People who like to play the buy low/sell high game buy a few hoping that they'll go up in value and they can sell for ridiculous prices.
But since everyone's doing it, it virtually guarantees that the market will be saturated for quite some time with people trying to sell. I estimate that more than half the decks produced will end up on the market at one time or another, either because they're backups and bills happen or because they were purchased for resale. Because there are so many in so many different hands, and people will sell at different times, it's very likely that there will always be a few available in the market...which will keep prices relatively low. It may take some time for this trend to become apparent, but I think it will. Moreover, all these copies will be in either new or like-new condition, since so many copies will have been purchased with resale in mind.
This is good news for people who missed out on the initial offering, since it's likely you'll be able to find a relatively inexpensive copy in time. The best thing you can do to keep things sane as a buyer is to refuse to pay exorbitant prices for the deck to get it "right now." Just wait. Believe me, over time you will find a copy for a good price.
The specific reasons why copies already appearing on eBay is a good sign are that a) it shows that inexperienced resellers (or regular "joes") bought the deck hoping to make a profit and got impatient, b) it's a very early start to the trend of there always being a copy available, and c) if these first couple eBay listings DO make good profit, it's likely that a flood of people will post theirs, which would saturate the market, accelerate the trend, and drive prices down.
In summary, unless a single source bought several hundred of these decks (which Karen would've spotted), the ones destined for resale are too many in number and spread across too many hands for things to get too ridiculous (especially if buyers stay sane), and there should be a steady supply of BG Pewters for those who missed out on the initial offering.
But in the words of Dennis Miller, that's just my opinion...I could be wrong.
Each time there's a new cash-cow trend in collecting (remember baseball cards? Comic books, especially Superman? Hess trucks?), EVERYONE starts speculating on it. As soon as the "media" (in our case, the entire community) gets wind of a few people making a lot of money selling a particular collectible, everyone jumps in. Everyone buys more decks than they need in hopes of selling one or more for profit later. People who like to play the buy low/sell high game buy a few hoping that they'll go up in value and they can sell for ridiculous prices.
But since everyone's doing it, it virtually guarantees that the market will be saturated for quite some time with people trying to sell. I estimate that more than half the decks produced will end up on the market at one time or another, either because they're backups and bills happen or because they were purchased for resale. Because there are so many in so many different hands, and people will sell at different times, it's very likely that there will always be a few available in the market...which will keep prices relatively low. It may take some time for this trend to become apparent, but I think it will. Moreover, all these copies will be in either new or like-new condition, since so many copies will have been purchased with resale in mind.
This is good news for people who missed out on the initial offering, since it's likely you'll be able to find a relatively inexpensive copy in time. The best thing you can do to keep things sane as a buyer is to refuse to pay exorbitant prices for the deck to get it "right now." Just wait. Believe me, over time you will find a copy for a good price.
The specific reasons why copies already appearing on eBay is a good sign are that a) it shows that inexperienced resellers (or regular "joes") bought the deck hoping to make a profit and got impatient, b) it's a very early start to the trend of there always being a copy available, and c) if these first couple eBay listings DO make good profit, it's likely that a flood of people will post theirs, which would saturate the market, accelerate the trend, and drive prices down.
In summary, unless a single source bought several hundred of these decks (which Karen would've spotted), the ones destined for resale are too many in number and spread across too many hands for things to get too ridiculous (especially if buyers stay sane), and there should be a steady supply of BG Pewters for those who missed out on the initial offering.
But in the words of Dennis Miller, that's just my opinion...I could be wrong.
baba-prague
Le Fanu said:
Well, to be fair, we did say we won't sell them again for 21 Euros again. Assuming there are any left, which if we are opening most of them to send out replacement cards is beginning to look highly unlikely.
Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with someone ebaying the deck. My surprise was the speed with which this happened. First I thought it was clear that someone just bought it to resell, which seems a shame, but of course Wendy has a point, maybe they just didn't like it. Anyway... life happens and all that.
nortytiger
Rob said:
do you think so?
I would like the BBC and Victorian Romantic but I can't see them anywhere for a reasonable price and there never seems to be many up for sale at any one time, the only way I can see the prices going down again is when there is a reprint but even then, because changes are made ti the images, it is seen as a "different" deck the prices again stay relatively high.
I agree that if we all refused to pay the price the prices would have to stay low but unfortunately there is always someone prepared to pay higher than they should.
Rob
nortytiger said:
The BBC, VR, and especially the BG Silver limited editions are what STARTED the mania. Prices didn't skyrocket until long after those editions were released, so people had no basis to speculate on them before that. Since fewer people bought them with the intention to sell, they remain scarce, which keeps prices high. Because of those decks, it became "common knowledge" that the Magic Realist limited editions tend to skyrocket in value once they're sold out. The fact that this phenomenon got widespread attention is why I believe vastly more people have intentionally speculated on the 2nd edition, which is the basis of my assessment. I believe many more of the 2nd edition will see market than previous limited editions, and since the "resale copies" are spread across more people with differing needs and profit motives, they will hit market at different times...guaranteeing a steady trickle of availability.
nortytiger
Rob said:
yes, I see what you are saying now. I agree to a point, though I do think that a lot of people regretted not buying back-up copies of the other decks and have purchased 2 or 3 decks (as I have) without intending to sell as they know it will not be reprinted and they won't ever part with them so I don't believe there will be that many on the market. I hope I am wrong and you are right though and it's not often that I want to be proved wrong
Le Fanu
mmm.. never thought of that...baba-prague said:
The VR, by the way (in answer to nortytiger), is a different kettle of fish altogether.
I suspect the BG pewter will follow a rather unique sales path. First of all it isn't officially a "limited edition" regardless of what ebay sellers might like to think. It was, by my understanding, made in a limited print run but then I suppose many decks are. Nobody would describe the Anna K as a limited edition, would they? I suppose only the really, really big decks - The RWS, Thoth, Morgan Greer - go on indefinitely. The Deviant Moon would have had a finite print run when it came out. At first, a limited print run is completed and then I suppose publishers reassess. Also it wasn't priced as a Limited edition. To all intents and purposes it isn't a limited edition (hope I'm not speaking out of turn here or assuming anything). It's just that we all know how many there are.
I think Rob's right btw!
I always like it when people speculate wrongly (I'm not saying that we are looking at this here) and things don't go quite as planned! The market is an exciting thing!
Alta
Another thing about re-sale, the VR Gold and the BG Silver were print runs of 500 and the pewter edge Gothics are a run of 1,000. Next, there is no intrinsic difference in the actual deck, it just the edges, whereas with the VG Gold and BG Silver (and the Bohemian Cats Gold) the actual cards were different.
If we are talking value, I think that the pewter edge decks are unlikely to be an investment in the same sense. Plus, the many comments above, where I agree. That folks didn't know at the time that the VG Gold or Gothic Silver would be valuable and were less likely to stash extra copies.
If we are talking value, I think that the pewter edge decks are unlikely to be an investment in the same sense. Plus, the many comments above, where I agree. That folks didn't know at the time that the VG Gold or Gothic Silver would be valuable and were less likely to stash extra copies.
baba-prague
The pewter edged decks were meant as a little extra - a thanks from us for pre-ordering direct. They were never intended to be like the limited editions.
Of course, they won't be run again the same as this (we will never work with this printer again believe me) but they are not, as Roger says, a limited edition in the normal sense in which that's usually meant.
I think in any case that limited editions are meant to feel personal and special, that's the nice thing about them. They are not a financial services product and we are not Goldman Sachs!
Of course, they won't be run again the same as this (we will never work with this printer again believe me) but they are not, as Roger says, a limited edition in the normal sense in which that's usually meant.
I think in any case that limited editions are meant to feel personal and special, that's the nice thing about them. They are not a financial services product and we are not Goldman Sachs!
