[leps-talk] value

[Chris J. Durden]

Mike,
   In the 18th April 2002 copy of Linn's Stamp News I note that an ordinary 
1918 "Inverted Jenny"  (Scott US C3a) is offered by Mystic for $100,000; a 
1908 coil par (Scott US 322) for $19,000; a 1986 "CIA Candlestick Invert" 
for $15,000 - and these are just available US stamps.

   Last time I saw *Agrias* offered for sale, none were over $1,000.
   Last time I visited Deyrolle in Paris the *Graillsia isabellae* were cheap.
   I do not recall the exact prices asked for *Teinopalpus* in that Chinese 
website (because the site was shut down), but they were under $1,000.

   These choice leps are just not considered very valuable by "collectors".

At 05:53 PM 5/30/2002 -0400, you wrote:
>Chris:
>I don't know the answer.  Do you?
>
>The British Guiana 1 cent stamp used to be valued at $50,000.(that was
>back when I was collecting stamps 50 years ago).  It's probably worth
>more now.
>
>The pair of Jamaican Homerus Swallowtails was offered at $5,000 (that
>was back when I was looking at butterfly raising, about 10 years ago).
>
>I doubt that that is the rarest swallowtail.  So I'm not sure there is
>"no comparison".
>But I agree that the argument may be ridiculous even if the comparison
>is not.
>
>If, on the other hand, you mean that there isn't a serious commercial
>market for butterflies, then I invoke the traditional academic mantra
>"more research is needed"/
>
>I was in Malaysia some years ago when there was discussion of how one of
>the country's finest collections (which should logically have gone to an
>appropriate museum) was being broken up by his "estate" for sale to
>individual bidders.  It must have been worth someone's time to do this.
>
>Mike Gochfeld



At 05:57 PM 5/30/2002 -0400, you wrote:
>Chris, sorry to belabor this point but....
>
>Last year I had the opportunity to visit a spectacular gun and knife
>show in Albuquerque.  Anyone who hasn't had that experience should take
>the opportunity (except some states have banned the shows).  If you're
>not from New Jersey you can easily buy an exquisite 50 cal,, but that is
>besides the point.
>
>There were two booths there that had exquisitely mounted butterflies and
>beetles in the $35 to $1000 dollar range.  They were real gems, and
>although most people were there to buy or sell arms and ordnance (and
>books about how to get your criminal record expunged), the
>butterfly/beetle trade seemed lively indeed.
>
>
>Mike Gochfeld

    Yes I have seen these "mall-type displays" in Tennessee and Texas. In 
the ones I have seen I would not describe the mounting as "exquisite", but 
rather as deformed. One of these montages, offered for sale in Galveston 
contained a strained *G. weiskei*, so I warned the proprietor to look for 
the CITES papers as any Wildlife Enforcement Officer was liable to ask to 
see them (providing the officer knew the listed butterflies on sight). All 
of those I have seen have been well under $1,000.
    No I do not think there is a viable business in selling high-priced 
butterfly specimens to US collectors. Now there may well be one in say, 
Belgium, Japan or Singapore, but not for US butterflies.
    Dealers lists I have seen from US and foreign sources have been for low 
value specimens. I really do not know how the dealers can stay in business. 
Unless someone can provide substantiating figures, I shall continue with my 
opinion that dealers are no threat to butterfly populations in the US. It 
is my impression that all this talk of "big business" in dealing 
butterflies is a propaganda construct - smoke and mirrors to brainwash the 
naive nature lover into supporting and campaigning for bans on all 
collecting and other hands on educational activities.
    By the way, in the past I have bought material for anatomical research 
from some of the famous names (both scientists and professional collectors, 
Wind, Welling et al.). I have not myself, sold any specimens, yet. Also I 
do not keep a collection at home.
.................Chris Durden








 
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