I moderate all comments that come into the Coxrail Blog. That means I decide which comments to publish and which to reject. If you sent comments that never appeared, then they probably failed one of my filters. Here is my basic philosophy.

Auction and Price List Promotion

I frequently promote price lists and upcoming auctions in my blog. I do not have a stake in a single sale. Instead, I promote lists and sales simply to inform collectors. Sadly, there is no good way for dealers and auction houses to reach all stock and bond collectors who might be interested. To be sure, there are many numismatic and philatelic publications and they reach huge numbers of people. However, I consider stock and bond collecting to be only loosely related to either of those venerable hobbies.

In other words, advertising in coin and stamp publications is not always terribly effective.

Every time I promote lists and auctions on my blog, I receive comments from collectors who want to complain either about business practices or prices.

With rare exception, I do NOT publish those comments. Here's why.

Complaints about pricing.

I do not have proof, but I feel that many complaints about price come from people who form their collections by buying strictly from eBay. Don't get me wrong; eBay is a wonderful place to put together low-value collections. But, be realistic about expectations. If you only paid a few dollars for common items, how can you possibly expect someone in the future to pay significantly more. That's not the way any collectible hobby works. Low-priced common items will always be low-priced and common.

Auction houses and professional dealers specialize in selling scarce and rare certificates. It should be obvious that those kinds of exotic collectibles don't sell for bargain-basement prices and they don't sell on eBay.

Yes, a few genuinely rare certificates do appear from time to time on eBay. If you can buy those for low prices on eBay, congratulations! But I warn you not to confuse yourself into thinking that eBay prices represent current prices for rarities elsewhere. REAL market prices for scarce and rare certificates are two to multiple times higher than eBay.

Making a comment that you can buy certificates cheaper on eBay may be true, but only if you are collecting low-priced and common certificates. Truly scarce and rare certificates, like you will find in live auction catalogs and in advanced dealer price lists, rarely, if ever, appear on eBay.

Yes, I agree that some dealers and auction houses publish outlandish prices for some certificates. No argument here. Except to say that many of those certificates actually sell for those high prices. If you are an eBay-only buyer, you simply won't be able to buy the same certificates that the extremely advanced collectors are buying.

Complaints about business practices.

If they stick around long enough, virtually every dealer of collectibles will create hard feelings ill will with someone. Even the best of dealers have detractors.

I say this not to belittle objection you may have to a particular dealer. Believe me, I have dealt with many, many dealers in one way or another. Sometimes anonymously. I don't agree with every dealer's way of doing business and I don't always agree with their prices. Some just plain irritate me on a personal level; I know my opinions certainly irritate some of them.

But, remember, if a dealer has been around for more than a couple years, he must also have a loyal following. He must be doing something right. He must be making satisfied customers.

If you have a specific complaint about a dealer, then you must first take it up with him. Of all the dealers I know, I don't know a single one who won't try to work with you to resolve a problem.

If your problem is more severe, and the dealer is not helping you, then I suggest you contact the Professional Scripophily Traders Association and seek their recommendations.

The difference between building up and tearing down.

I tend to view criticism in a black and white way: ordinary criticism and constructive criticism.

I believe – I FIRMLY BELIEVE – that ordinary criticism is the single easiest thing in the world to do. And I mean this in the most serious way possible. To me, criticism is as easy as breathing and sometimes even easier. Even a person on life support at the edge of death can criticize, so how hard can criticism be? If I wanted ordinary, destructive, bitchy, whiny criticism, I can get that anywhere, from anybody, at any time.

Ordinary criticism has no value to me whatsoever. I do not intend to use my blog to spread vitriol. Period.

Constructive criticism is vastly different and almost infinitely more difficult. That is why forming constructive criticism is such a rare, rare talent.

If you offer constructive criticism, criticism intended to improve the enjoyment of my readers, and hopefully the whole hobby, then I applaud your effort and I will freely publish your comments.