So I walked into a card store today, and was puzzled by...

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

Welcome to an underfunded small business. He just gave you that line to save face. I would imagine it takes a huge capital investment to play card dealer nowadays.

Best thing to do? Next time you're in there buy something from him. Don't try to negotiate, and tell him you've been looking for that card for years.

You'll both feel better.

Or he sized the OP up as an older guy who would potentially offload some vintage cheap if he was told that stuff wasn't worth anything.

There used to be a lot of guys who would run stuff down to try buying it cheap.
"I can buy a bunch of those for X =50% less than priced"
"Those aren't worth anything, I have hundreds I can't sell for half that"

Ok then, go buy those cheaper ones and I'll buy them for double what you paid. Or- Ok then, bring them to me, I'll buy them.

Funny, the supply of the identical item for very little suddenly doesn't exist.

[egri]

Originally Posted by steve B

Or he sized the OP up as an older guy who would potentially offload some vintage cheap if he was told that stuff wasn't worth anything.

There used to be a lot of guys who would run stuff down to try buying it cheap.
"I can buy a bunch of those for X =50% less than priced"
"Those aren't worth anything, I have hundreds I can't sell for half that"

Ok then, go buy those cheaper ones and I'll buy them for double what you paid. Or- Ok then, bring them to me, I'll buy them.

Funny, the supply of the identical item for very little suddenly doesn't exist.

I remember reading a few years ago about one of the experts from Antiques Roadshow got in trouble for doing something similar with Civil War relics. He would give his lowball valuation, then his partner would come up afterwards and make a higher (but still below market) offer. I forget how they were caught, or what the fallout was, though.