OK, I give...

[fknorr]

Who in the hell would spend $610 for an artillery album?

I thought I was a moron going to $350 (only because I collect the 14. I.D), but if $350 was moronic, what do you call $610?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=140072831054

[Gary T]

Perhaps he has the man's SB\WP\docs?

[Diaspora]

Besides, its Ebay Land of ever lasting bargains

[fknorr]

Perhaps he has the man's SB\WP\docs?

Perhaps he had too much to drink as well.

I thought I was paying (if my $350 had won the auction) $75-100 more than it was worth. I am less annoyed that I lost the auction for I have been around long enough to know that more than likely I'll see this for sale again, or a dozen similar items....

I am just having a hard time wrapping my head around why someone would spend $300 - $400 hundred more than it is worth as an album.

[milcollector]

yes, it looks like someone was looking for stuff from that unit. See the questions asked at the bottom of the auction.

Also remember people go crazy over photo albums.
They pay a lot more than if they were buying the photos individually.

How about the nut who offered the guy $100 to sell early ???

[fknorr]

yes, it looks like someone was looking for stuff from that unit. See the questions asked at the bottom of the auction.

Also remember people go crazy over photo albums.
They pay a lot more than if they were buying the photos individually.

How about the nut who offered the guy $100 to sell early ???

I was the one asking about the unit.
I hope the new owner is not going to tear it apart and sell individually.

[Karl B]

10 cents worth.

The buyer thinks it is worth 610 or was prepared to pay that much.

Cheers

Karl

[fknorr]

10 cents worth.

The buyer thinks it is worth 610 or was prepared to pay that much.

Cheers

Karl

You have a talent for stating the obvious Karl.

[Karl B]

You have a talent for stating the obvious Karl.

Karl

[Simon O.]

Some nice clear shots in there. 470 euros for a 210 photo album, Not cheap but if it was of that quality to a unit i was interested in then i'd have no problems paying that much.

Seen much worse go for much more.

[Panzer Rob]

Well, it's a very nice album but I do agree that the ending price is rather high. I guess someone wanted it more than you did, Fran

Don't worry, there will be more. I agree though, I would hate to see the album torn up and pics sold off individually. People who do that are pathetic, shameless scumbags.

Man, that grave shot with all those crosses... Wow.

Rob

[mjfur]

Sometimes it's just worth more to other people. Maybe the high bidder had been searching for years to get this?

Why is $610 to much? Is it because you have been able to get them cheaper in the past? You can't put a price on a unique album judging what similar but different albums have gone for in the past. Each piece/pic is unique.

I learned along time ago if it's unique and you want it, don't fool around on price.
My ebay/auction motto is "Bid to Crush". Thats just the way collecting is.

I bet you won't have a second thought when you sell "your" items for an overpriced $610. Will you?

Regards,
Mike

[max history]

Not only did the winning bidder think it was worth more than you did, but so did two other bidders. Valuations are relative. Something is worth what someone is willing to pay for it.
Max.

[fknorr]

Not only did the winning bidder think it was worth more than you did, but so did two other bidders.

Just because 2-3 people think item "a" is worth "x", that means that is the "fair market value"? Come on!

Sometimes it's just worth more to other people. Maybe the high bidder had been searching for years to get this?

But why was it worth more to him is the question?

First of let's look at the album. Is it SS? Is it U-boat of fighter pilot? Is it even a division people would have heard something about? All no.

Next is the album really anything special? Not really, just a fairly nice artillery album to a no-name division. So really, why was this worth $200 -300 more than fair market value. Now do not tell me that "value" is relative because it isn't. There is a generally accepted range for every item we speak of here from individual photos to badges and uniforms, photo albums are no exception.

This was a average/beter than average photo album to a artillery unit in a no name division. This price of $600+ dollars was the exception, not the rule/fair market value.

Now, this is not a case of sour grapes on my end, I do not live this stuff like others here and I WILL NOT pay 100% more than something is worth (generally accepted value) just to have it. It is this type of collector (pay whatever price just to own) that is driving the prices through the roof, not the big time dealers.

I have been around long enough and am old enough to have a bit of patience. I have recently started collecting 14. Infanterie-Division items (which this artillery unit was part of) about six months ago and have picked up a few dozen items including three albums. If people want to pay hundreds of dollars more per item for these things than I do, great. I hope they plan on holding on to them for a good while as they will have a hard time getting their money back.

I just hope the buyer is not going to rip this thing apart and sell the nice pictures in an attempt to make a profit.

[Richard]

Fran, you are listing all the reasons that establish what the album is worth to you. Collectibles are not like jars of peanut butter. There isn't an established price where if a jar of peanut butter costs $3 at grocery store A, you just go to grocery store B where it is priced at $2 a jar. This type item is worth whatever one is willing to pay.

This is a unique item. In terms of absolute rarity it is one of a kind. There is not a second one out there exactly like it. In that sense it is rarer than a KC, DKiG or even the Oak leaves of which hundreds perhaps thousands were made that are all the same.

The photos went for a little more than 2 Euros a shot. Relatively, this isn't real expensive and there are some very nice shots in the album. It will become harder and harder to find even what we consider "common" albums in time as many are stripped of the rarer shots which are sold individually and the shell of an album with the unwanted pictures is then passed on. These items are a unique perspective from one individual's point of view, what he/she thought worthy of photos - family, friends, events, etc. and so represent an insight into a period of history from one person's viewpoint. As such each of these albums is looking though the eyes of a part of someone else's life. How much is that really worth?
Richard V