[Leica] Re: Re: An unpleasant print mention

["Roger Beamon" <roger@beamon.org>]

On 7 Nov 98, Eric Welch wrote, at least in part:

<snip>

> You are correct. I have emailed with the author of that article, and he is
> a negative-minded person who thinks that no one has a right to charge a
> reasonable amount of money for a used camera. He wants a Leica M3 and 50
> Summicron for $300? Please! He thinks people have no right to collect if
> it drives prices up, guess he doesn't understand basic economics.
> 
> In fact, he used to be a camera store salesperson, who says Leica
> collectors drove him nuts.

Also, in fact, an argument might be made that the collector 
segment of the Leica market is one factor in keeping the Leica 
prices as *low* as they are.

I remember walking into my postmaster, one day, and expressed 
my anger in the fact that the US Postal Service is producing all 
the commemorative issues aimed at the collectors. Not being a 
collector, it was my feeling that the cost of producing those 
stamps was prohibitive and was responsible for the cost of our 
lousy mail service being as *high* as it is. 

His response really surprised me. He said, "Are you kidding? We 
make tons of money on those collector oriented issues. Even after 
paying the engravers, buying the paper, ink etc. and producing 
them, the fact that the collector buys them in huge quantities 
and squirrels them away without using them make it a *very* 
profitable enterprise, thus helps keep the cost of the USPS as 
*low* as it is. 

Not a perfect analogy, but good, nonetheless.
- --
Roger
mailto:roger@beamon.org

     Thought for the day:
        Success in politics often requires
        rising above your principles.