Because it's done by everyone. Peter, believe me, many of the "above reproach" people on this board have conspired to undermine the democratic process.

Let me give just one hypothetical example. An ebay seller offer 20 "rare" Vegas chips. Let's say they book for $300 each. This seller picked them up at a garage sale for $20. He is not a chip collector so is happy to get $3 or $4 each. When these chips get put up on eBay for $0.99 each the following happens. Vegas chip collector "A" calls collector "B" and so on. An agreement is made that only collector "A" will bid. Collector "A" will then mete out the chips at his cost. The chip most likly goes for $100-$150 each but not as high as it would have if no agreement were made. Is this the democratic way --- NO. But this is the real world, this is America, this is how things are done.

A similar example could be made on how Dealers conpire to infalte eBay prices.

If all private conversations were made public, believe me, nobody would be talking to anybody else.

There is an unwritten rule (at least there should be). What's private should remain private.

Remember Peter, I am a buyer (big time). I want to pay as low as possible. I don't, however, want to see a fellow collector/dealer get hurt for doing something that many of us are guilty of.

Having said all that, maybe we should agreed to disagree and have a great time at the convention.

Hope to see you there.