Owners unwilling to deal: an update

I mainly just wanted to extend a huge thanks to everyone who chipped in their opinions on Friday's post.  Keeping in mind that despite the small sample size I ended up with what I think is a pretty diverse group of readers and bloggers, I think your responses showed a few clear trends with just a bit of deviation:

1.  If you were in this collector's shoes, how would you feel about the other guy refusing to sell you the card and telling you not to contact him anymore (based on the little you know contained in this post, to be fair)?

The general consensus here was disappointment/frustration coupled with acceptance.  That's in line with what I figured I'd see from you guys--I know plenty of you are just as passionate about trying to complete projects like that, and maybe there's multiple reasons that this is the case, but I can't say I've seen or heard of any of you taking a similar tack to try to whine your way to sympathy.

Sample response:  "I would be devastated if the guy wouldn't part with the fourth card... but that's the way it is. Hopefully the discussion would've gone better than what happened with those two collectors though."  -- Captain Canuck  


2.  If you were the person in possession of that fourth card, how would you handle the guy trying to buy your copy?  Would you sell it to him or no?  Why not?  If you sold it, would you gouge the hell out of him or just go for a tidy profit?

This question elicited some very interesting responses in my opinion.  Some of you had no problem dealing with the guy to get him his complete set in the spirit of being helpful, that is, unless it was something you were very, very attached to.  Again, this is totally in line with what I thought because you can't go a day without reading somebody's blog thanking another collector for sending them a major need without expecting anything in return.  Definitely a different culture than the dog-eat-dog message boards, eh?

Sample response (and my favorite, definitely):  "Easy: I wouldn't sell him the card and i would demand that he give me his three so i would have a complete set."  -- Spankee

3.  Do you think collectors that are (presumably) acquiring a set of something rare like four 1/1 cards are entitled to the remaining cards (at a reasonable price, of course) when they get to a certain point?

Nope, not even close, according to all of you.  It's good to know that you guys wouldn't feel pressured to give up something you treasure just because some guy stakes his claim to it.

Sample response:  dhoff gets Biblical on our asses:  "I say, let's go King Solomon style on both these guys. We'll offer to take all four of the cards and slice each one in half, then divide the halves between these guys. We'll see who reacts best, and this collector will be deemed the true mother."

Having experienced this excellent discussion, I can proudly say I'd be willing to deal with each and every one of you in this same situation.  Unless it was a Rich Hill card.  Otherwise, I wouldn't gouge you guys like this was the Kwik-e-Mart, because it looks like all of you would do the same.  Thanks again for reaffirming my appreciation for collectors like you!

That will be $2000 and a case of National Treasures Football.  Thank you, come again!

A collecting discussion: owners unwilling to deal a rare card you need

Yesterday while cruising around the Blowout forums as usual, I caught this thread, which immediately piqued my interest:

It sparked quite a bit of discussion from the board, and rightly so, considering the content.  While much of the thread devolved into the inevitable bunch of childish insults and off-topic crap, there was some pretty good discussion going on, generally siding with my point-of-view.  Mainly, the two sides were:

• Jeez, what a douche!  If you offered him more than he paid for it, he's STUPID not to sell it to you, and by not doing so he has bad karma heading his way.  He totally owes you this card, bro.
• Um, he OWNS the card, and just because you have three of the other four he's obligated to sell his to you regardless of his attachment to it?  You probably screwed yourself by telling him this was the last one you needed anyway, now he's got you by the balls, and if I was him I wouldn't sell it to you because you're the one being a jackass.  Leave him alone and go cry, emo kid.

This made me wonder how the most reasonable group of collectors I've known--those of you that write your own blogs and/or read them--would approach this situation.  So in the interest of spurring some good old-fashioned internet discussion, a few questions:

1. If you were in this collector's shoes, how would you feel about the other guy refusing to sell you the card and telling you not to contact him anymore (based on the little you know contained in this post, to be fair)?
2. If you were the person in possession of that fourth card, how would you handle the guy trying to buy your copy?  Would you sell it to him or no?  Why not?  If you sold it, would you gouge the hell out of him or just go for a tidy profit?
3. Do you think collectors that are (presumably) acquiring a set of something rare like four 1/1 cards are entitled to the remaining cards (at a reasonable price, of course) when they get to a certain point?

Please have at it in the comments or by emailing me.  I'll be happy to update this post highlighting those comments if enough people make them and there's interest in me doing so.  This just seems like an appropriate instance for some actual card collecting discussion!