A. SELLING:
New (if the background of this page is a different color than last time you looked there is new stuff) - update 5/1/08
May pricelist
17,000 other things for Sale
note on viewing pictures
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B. BUYING:
Buying
What's It Worth? - numismatic estate handling for live collectors & executors

C. SERVICES:
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D. INFORMATION
Information
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FAQ - pretty empty at the moment

E. OPINIONS & NEWS
5/1/2008
1. POSTAL RATES GOING UP THIS MONTH.  Don't worry about it.  I'll see how much it costs and adjust as necessary.
2. I AM FEVERISHLY RAISING PRICES but will inevitably overshoot, the bubble will burst, it will become possible to make successful bids again.  But not yet.  Stupidly high prices are the way it is for now.  Could change any day.
3. I WROTE THIS ABOUT 4 weeks ago: I think what we're seeing with the global food shortage (breathtaking concept, no, not "breathtaking," more on that lsome other time) is mostly a series of dislocations I think mostly caused by speculation.  I don't think there's actually so much more ethanol being produced.  If there was a serious shortage meat production would decline (and again, that doesn't count fish), its not, so where's all that alcohol?  Its not there, ergo there's a lot of hoarding going on out in the world.  Meanwhile it has taken less than a year for "everyone" to figure out that corn ethanol is a bad idea.  This has been one of the stupider and more shortsighted of bubbles.  Farmers figured that out halfway through last year I think, thus the reduced corn planting.  I think, barring bad luck or even stupider decisions on the part of people who can make things happen, that farming will get back in balance in a few years, maybe only one.  Widespread famine unlikely in 08 I think, at least on that score.
    Now I am kind of thinking that maybe I was overly optimistic.  It appears that the food thing is being seriously mishandled and is too big to wiggle out of.  Spotty famines later this year seem more likely than not.  Keep fingers crossed we'll avoid widespread regional famines.  And, you know, breakdown of order.
4. GLOBAL WARMING will tend to make Siberia very attractive to China for cropland.  Perhaps we would see some interesting agricultural contract operations in central Asia if we looked for them.  Anyone know anything?
6. FOR THE DEMS it is to dump the boomers or not.  Bill or Michelle?  For the Reps it is how serious is Mr. Straittalk about being a kindergentler Bushiot.  One has to assume he is being disingenuous.  Doesn't one?  The mendacity of hope.
5. IF YOU LIKE CHINESE COINS - I bought a tasty collection.  Get in touch to get the announcements.

4/2/08 - Let's talk economy.  It is obvious that thieves are all over the place and the only thing anyone can do is to read the fine print.  That's all there is to it.  Like if you live where I live, and you can't recognize poison ivy and black widow spiders, you have a problem.  Read the fine print.  Keep records.
    Anyway, prices continue to be fluid in my business.  One day I'm paying $14 for a silver dollar, next week $11.  Prices will continue to be subject to change without notice.
More opinions - 100s of thousands of words!

This 1100 year old Arab joke seems obliquely appropriate to the American primary year:
    A certain man claimed to be a prophet and was brought before the Sultan, who said to him, "I bear witness that you are a stupid prophet!" The man replied, "That is why I have only been sent to people like you."

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phone: (919) 787-0881
mail: Bob Reis, POB 26303, Raleigh NC 27611, USA