I am interested in what position the dealers are abusing? There are no rules about who buys what and who holds on to what for how ever long they want. Not that I am aware of. I think the point has been confused IMO since this post was placed.
Everyone knows that old sets will go for high prices and, that they are rare and, expect such premium. The other debate seems to me to centre around dealers buying products at the trade prices they get and, hoarding them in the view that they will be able to do this easily at a later date. I just think that some of the sets that are coiming out in recent years there is a handful I could think of which, have become sought after. one being the sigrune horse from the LAH series. To think that people know what will become sought after is like asking how long is a piece of string?
Nobody really knows. At one time you could with some ceratinty say SL's will be a good buy as they are well sought after. Now though in recent times, many have still not sold out and, at present in UK and HK the recovery vehicle from D-Day is still available, so, is the SL taifun Christmas sets and, one of the Hawker Hurricane. Recently, I saw Churchills generals still on HK and, others including heydrichs assasination took ages to dissapear. so, so much for predictions.
I think I have come across more collectors than dealers trying to inflate the prices of their sets when selling on the secondary market than dealers. I said the other day its an argument over nothing as, it cannot be policed and certainly IMO not one which, K&C should even try. To tell people they can only sell at RRP is a recipe for disaster, IMO.
Should such issues come into force how can you disprove a dealer is hoarding a set which, he has or, just has no interest from customers. Much of the rarity of K&C comes from the old stuff?
If everyone knows who these apparant dealers are then name and shame them and then others will not buy and, will be forced to cease the manner in which they operate. I think collectors as a whole are in a better position to police their own hobby better than the manufacturer and, calls fro self imposed unworkable regulations imposed on dealers.
Should it happen which, IMO it will not, our hobby will be the one to suffer which, always is the case when small numbers do things some, do not like,the majority are always the ones who suffer the most.
Mitch
