Prices/Value Discussion.

[Bob]

e.g. as evidenced by lower prices...

but then why is it that i don't see that much great stuff for sale (compared to e.g. 5 years ago)?

[Tretov]

Originally Posted by Bob

e.g. as evidenced by lower prices...

but then why is it that i don't see that much great stuff for sale (compared to e.g. 5 years ago)?

Why sell the good stuff when the market is bad and prices are low? The good stuff finds its way into collections from where it won't be sold unless there is a real crisis for the owner.

[Bob]

Originally Posted by Tretov

Why sell the good stuff when the market is bad and prices are low? The good stuff finds its way into collections from where it won't be sold unless there is a real crisis for the owner.

Because the good stuff still commands good prices. Also, i think currently we are still in the worst economic crisis in a long time.

I don;t wish bad things for fellow collectors and also will not sell my own stuff, but am puzzled at how little impact the crisis is having on "pulling" good stuff onto the market.

[CtahhR]

Probably because most of the rarest stuff is in the hands of folks who aren't bothered if they only make $300,000 rather than $450,000 income this year. Whereas if you were getting $30,000 rather than $45,000 you notice it far more. Is it worth selling your Hero Stars and groups for less than what you want because you can only afford 3 weeks in a 5 star hotel in Mauritius rather than a month? If someone could afford to buy the best stuff recently I doubt they are in a situation where they don't know where the next meal is coming from....

[Eryk]

The axiom of investing applies: you don't take a loss until you sell. IF (a big "if" in itself), most authentic sales are other collectors simply recycling their stuff into the market to other collectors, then sales will slow until they are forced to sell by circumstance. Till then they have their collections and have taken no loss.

Even dealers can fall into this category if they sell other things, it's not their only income, etc. Why take a loss when you don't have to? Just wait.

That said, IMHO, they're waiting for a train that will not be coming. But hey, if the banks can carry a house worth $100k as an asset worth $200k, why not collectors?

[RedBanner1920]

Even if the sky falls there will still be people who collect , who love they history behind each item, who will sit in front of each item and admire it and sometimes be amazed by it. This is life hard times come and go but our passions will still remain. Even if one day my collection in value went down to almost nothing the medals i have will still have historical value to me. I don't think most people get into collecting expecting they'll be able to one day retire from there collection. I dont know this is just my opinion atleast. Also if you want to invest there are plenty better things to invest out there then militaria.

[Eryk]

Originally Posted by REDBANNER1920

Even if the sky falls there will still be people who collect...

You've been lucky enough to not live through the sky really falling. When it does people do what they have to to get by, and that often includes giving up previously important passions.

[Bob]

Originally Posted by CtahhR

Probably because most of the rarest stuff is in the hands of folks who aren't bothered if they only make $300,000 rather than $450,000 income this year. Whereas if you were getting $30,000 rather than $45,000 you notice it far more. Is it worth selling your Hero Stars and groups for less than what you want because you can only afford 3 weeks in a 5 star hotel in Mauritius rather than a month? If someone could afford to buy the best stuff recently I doubt they are in a situation where they don't know where the next meal is coming from....

While the point is fair, i doubt that those people make up a substantial part of the collecting market (i could be wrong of course).

[kiwiussr]

At the moment things are generaly difficult in many areas of society, but value of assests including what we collect here through to houses has gone up and down, What seems to be happening is that prices seem to have settled to more realistic prices to a degree, even though some people are still asking stupidly high prices for low to medium items, and people will still buy them. As mentioned collectors tend to sell to collectors when it comes to serious and high end items and this with a large volume of high end items in collectors hands already and more and more collectors comming into the market high end items are getting hard to find hence why we dont see that many of them. Also there seems to be more items starting to emerge fro old eastern bloc countries this has started to de value the market and prices some what. MAybe what we all collect is like the housing market when the economy is strong prices and demand rise.
Just my thoughts

[RedBanner1920]

Even if i had to sell off everything i own to get by id still have the passion for the hobby even if it was just reading about medals rather then owning them. Plus once im sure even if people sell off what the have in better times they will try to buy new medals once there get the change to again.