Scott,

Whatever happened to trading between collectors?  Thirty or forty
years ago this was a common and exciting way to grow your collection
at a reasonable cost.  Today it all seems to go through the dealers,
i.e., local collectors sell or trade with dealers who then retail to
collectors.  While you seldom could get the really rare specimens via
trade, the common and uncommon were usually available.  And what fun
it was to open those boxes! Granted, there were some problems with
unreliable individuals but with modern technology and the ability to
transmit images via the internet I would think this could once again
become a viable collection growth option.  As a member of a club with
many new and younger members I'm sure they would have an interest in
such a system.  Has anyone ever tried swapping on a club to club
basis?  With the club's reputation on the line, it should eliminate
"bad" swaps.

Jim Brunner

On Jul 23, 2012, at 11:51 PM, Scot Lewis wrote:

> I have been collecting 5 decades now, and as I try to grow my
> private collection, it seems that so
> many shells are now "auctioned" and that the prices are escalating
> astronomically. Obviously,
> someone, somewhere, is willing to pay "whatever" to get a specimen
> shell (and frequently, poor
> quality specimens at that).
>
> My question to you all is this now the reality of collecting? Do we
> need to be "independently wealthy"
> to pursue our passion?  (Are there alternatives?)
>
> Many of us specialize in specific fauna (species) areas, and can
> collect physically, but for (and I am
> assuming) most of us, the days of "local collecting trips" are
> getting fewer between.
>
> How do institutions deal with acquiring new species...
>
> How much will you pay for a missing specimen?
>
> I am curious as to what you think, I hope to open a broad discussion
> on this...
>
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