To all;
 
It looks like the consensus among dealers with moderate and low priced
specimens is to send off the "best" ones first, with due consideration to what
the customer may like, but with the other side of the coin being that if you
wait, you may get a less desirable specimen.  No one claimed to use a non-
biased system like closing their eyes and grabbing.
 
Another question for mail-order dealers:  What is the relation between the
total of what you have available for sale or trade and the subset that goes
out on any particular mailing or list?  Does everything get on the list sooner
or later?
 
Martin