I think I may also be part of the problem when it 
comes to collecting the series I love. Since 
there are a very limited number of cels available 
from Outlaw Star, I think that by collecting them 
that I may end up driving up the price. Granted, 
the average price I have paid for an OLS cel is 
around $75, ranging from $15-$200. But having a 
gallery like mine and going after the cels I want 
is limiting the number of cels available on the 
market. Less supply more demand=high prices. I do 
not apologize for my collection though, because I 
do not think that I have ever overpaid to get a 
cel. I am also not a wealthy man, but I have gone 
crazy and spent a wad of cash to get a cel I 
wanted evey now and again. But as you said, it is 
still a matter of patience and timing. A month 
ago, I missed a wishlist cel by about 15 minutes, 
and it was only $50. I didn't cry about it 
though, I congratulated the person who got it. 
The whole idea is to collect these things so they 
so end up being destroyed or left to rot by 
someone who couldn't care less about them. I have 
been offered cels from dealers to avoid selling 
them on eBay. I think it is because they believe 
that I will not simply buy the cel in order to 
turn it around for a quick profit. Sometimes, I 
get emails like this "Hey! I have an OLS cel
(insert character here) for sale. I would be 
willing to let it go for $400. Would you be 
interested?" When you collect a particular 
series, people like this think you are a mark who 
will buy anything and pay anything. Let me tell 
you straight, I will never pay $400 for a single 
cel unless it is a truly magnificent specimen. It 
had better be an OP cel of the entire group or 
something of that nature. Anyway, I guess I am 
just tired of people flooding auctions with bids 
simply so they can say to their friends that they 
paid $1000 for this cel. Guess what, I paid $36 
for the one below, and to me it looks like $1000!