Hi Ed ---- didn't mean to leave the impression that I was blaming anything on youth, or that youthfulness excuses otherwise unacceptable conduct. However, at age 21, we all make decisions and take actions based on very limited adult experience --- which in perhaps as little as a year or two of additional experience we might not make or take. I wonder how many of us can look back on everything we did at age 21 and say we did everything exactly "right" or exactly the way we might have done it at age 50, or 40, or 30, or even 25.

Unethical conduct is unacceptable & I'll be one of the first to jump in and say so (often where I'm not wanted, if you listen to some of the eBay sellers I have jumped in on). HOWEVER, the fact that someone such as Rene at age 21 has done something which some people think unethical doesn't mean that he is incapable of acting in an ethical manner in the future. And I think that we older folks (I'm 52 going on 27!!!) can provide advice and set examples which will help him become both a better businessman and a better "friend" to the rest of us in the hobby.

I should also mention that, at least to some extent, the opinion that he acted unethically is not even universally shared. To pick a specific example, the complaint that he offered to sell a chip before he had purchased it is, in my opinion, an unfounded criticism. It is not at all uncommon in many businesses (including real estate sales, the stock market and the coin business) for dealers to take an option on the purchase of an item, which they then offer to sell even if they do not yet own it. It is my understanding that this is esentially what happened here. Had Rene bitten his tongue for a few minutes before responding accurately, albeit flippantly, to that criticism and had he taken the time to explain the true situation, he could not have been faulted for what is otherwise a perfectly acceptable business practice.

This is not to defend his handling of this situation in its entirety, because I do think he made some mistakes, as noted in Gene Trimble's posts.

You must also be one of the youngest collectors in the club & we're glad to have you (at any age!). Your concerns as expressed here are well-taken and I look forward to seeing your input any time. ----- jim o\-S