2 other items that I see contributing to this discussion on rating daggers and rising prices.
1. The quality of 3rd Reich edged weapons offered "openly" today as compared to 20 years ago, is considerably down. You see this both on dealers web sites and at the larger shows. Where as at one time a dealer would only rate a lower quality piece as in the "good or excellent - category, today we are seeing the same type of item with an excellent + rating or higher.
2. There is a considerable amount of "new money" that has come into this hobby both as collectors and dealers. Collectors with plenty of $$$ willing to pay what ever the price is to buy condition or a specialty item. And dealers that have plenty of $$$ to buy those items initially just to raise the price of those pieces considerably, knowing that they have those customers that will pay the price.
We're all caught up in it on one end or the other. Just recently a new dealer remarked to me " boy I wish I had back all those SS that I sold for the last 3 years that were priced 15-$2500" Now as a dealer he's out there buying at prices that have greatly surpassed what just yesterday was his retail figures.
