I have been watching a deck of playing cards from Aruba for 6 or 7 years now. It was listed at $95 for a few years. Once, a mistake was made and it was put up for $59. Of course, no sale. I wrote the seller and told them a similar deck, but in much better condition had recently (at that time) sold for $12 and offered him $15. Not accepted. The economy tanked and a few months into the recession, he upped the price to $150. That's where it has been ever since. I have written him twice since then, but no response. Strangely, most if not all of this seller's auctions have continued, at what look to be crazy prices, and I can't remember any items that are not there now. Still, every week, or every month, or whatever, they are put back up for auction. Why would anyone do this for so many years? I have no idea.

It keeps me amused, though.

Michael Siskin