I am writing this mostly for the benefit of some of the newer collectors out there who may be on this list.  I know a few of you but most I do not.  By no means am I one of the "big" traders on this list but I thought I might take the time to put into words some of the things I have learned since I started collecting in 1996.  Plus, maybe this will get some positive discussion going. 

I only collect Olympic pins so that is what I will focus on.  

1.  Collect pins for FUN!  NEVER buy or trade Olympic pins as an investment.  These are not coins or stamps or works of fine art that appreciate over time.  Buy and collect the pins that you like.  I also will get pins that I think others will like so I have extras for trading. 

2.  95% of pins will go DOWN in value after the Olympic games.  If you really want that green jello pin and are willing to spend $100 for it, go ahead.  Keep in mind that after the games are over, it will be worth a fraction of that if history holds true.

3.  There is no comprehensive guide or source book that will tell you the "value" of a pin.  If you are a novice, stick with the low cost pins until you have an idea of what pins are selling/trading for.  Currently, new SLC pins have retail values from $5-$20 for standard pins and "special sets" may cost more.  Remember rule #1 when making your purchases. 

4. When making a trade or buying a pin, I focus on paying a price that I am comfortable with.  If someone tells me the pin is "worth" $50 but I am only comfortable spending $25, I don't buy.  I never worry about trying to get a great deal, just a deal that both parties are comfortable with.  Many of us place different "values" on pins so a transaction has to be something both parties are comfortable with. 

5.  Pin trading and pin selling are very different.  Pin traders generally will give you a fair deal.  Pin sellers are generally business people looking to make money so they will tell you anything.  Heck,

there is a regular/successful ebay seller who always uses the line "BID ON AN APPRECIATING INVESTMENT FOR THE 2002 WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES!... During the Olympics you will not believe the potential for these pins to APPRECIATE IN VALUE."  Well, you won't believe it when you lose money so I guess s/he is technically not lying!  A true pin trader would never make a comment like that because it deceives a buyer into thinking they are making an investment and that their pins are going to go up in value.  NOT TRUE.  See #1. 

6.  When trading or buying my mail/email/web, be sure to be precise in what the deal is for.  With people within your own country, it's probably not a problem.  But, when dealing with people from other countries, it is very easy for misunderstandings to occur due to language differences.  Be patient and be precise. 

7.  If a deal goes bad, try to work it out.  Most pin traders will make every effort to make the deal satisfactory.  However, be timely about it.  Some of us make numerous sales/trades every week so it's hard to keep track of them all.  The sooner you let someone know about a problem, the more likely you are to getting the situation satisfactorily resolved.  While you may get very frustrated after a bad trade, be very careful about bringing up personal trading issues in a public forum. Even if you are right, you may find that you alienate yourself from others.  There are always 2 sides to a story and this list does not always see both sides.  You may end up hurting yourself more than if you

would have just forgotten about the problem and moved on.  There are some people I won't trade with just because they have a reputation of always complaining. 

8.  This group is not currently moderated.  That means that there may be things said here that you may find unpleasant.  Learn to ignore those people and those messages.  There are more good people on this list than bad so keep the good, ignore the bad.  Don't let a few bad apples spoil the whole bunch.  The person who originally created this group has more or less "disappeared" so the list is not managed.  Some of us are continuing to work to get that changed by having a new moderator(s) assigned. 

9.  Most importantly,  HAVE FUN.