the definition of "rare",
 

Ron in Radio Heaven wrote:

I think we need to work on the definition of "rare",
much less "quite rare" when it comes to old radios....

These are pretty good guidelines, Ron, and in line
with the "Scarcity Scale" I advocate in the
Military Radio community. To make it relevant,
it is based both on the number of know examples
in private hands (those in museums are not likely to
be available to collectors and therefore, in practical terms,
don't exist) and the likelihood of a collector
obtaining one.


0: Extinct- No examples of this set are known
to survive in private hands.

1: Unique- Only one is known to exist.
Confirmed prototypes and manufacturer's
"morgue" sets belong here.
Finding one is a happy accident.

2: Rare- Less than ten of these sets are known to exist.
You may acquire one or two in a lifetime of collecting.

3: Uncommon- Enough of these sets remain that 3-5 years
of effort will add them to your collection.

4: Common- This set can be acquired in a short time
with modest effort.

Some folks advocate a step between 2 and 3, but
I don't see a need for it. These five define
scarcity pretty well, IMHO.

Kindly,
David S.

there doesn't have to be less than 10 of anything to be rare. gimme a
break. this is a big world.

Eddie Brimer wrote:

there doesn't have to be less than 10 of anything to be rare. gimme a
break. this is a big world.

I submit that in our specialized field, ten is a good number.
The point is that a "rare" set should be very difficult to acquire;
that it should take a large portion of effort and time to find one,
so that you can expect only a couple of such sets
to come to your collection.
This separates the most prized sets from the "Uncommon,"
which also require time and effort to find,
but not to the degree a "Rare" set requires.
An "Uncommon" set should be a source of pride and satisfaction.
A "Rare" set should feel more like a blessing.

Kindly,
David S.

Eddie Brimer wrote:
there doesn't have to be less than 10 of anything to be rare. gimme a
break. this is a big world.

That's right. All it needs to be rare is to be for sale on Ebay.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Seems to me that there's a bit of a disconnect in the "rare" definition.
if only 10 of any item are known to exist and one may expect to have one
or two in a lifetime of collecting, these 10 units would really be doing
a hat-dance getting around to all the collectors. Having said that,
it would truly be nice to have some sort of standard of comparison.
But, I suspect the collector will have to continue to sort the wheat
from the chaff. Now.. about this WW2/Korea/Vietnam secret radio I found
in my Grandmother's barn that was fully functional 20 years ago.....
very rare...!!

Regards de K3HVG


2: Rare- Less than ten of these sets are known to exist.
You may acquire one or two in a lifetime of collecting.

I think the work "Rare" needs a lot better definition. If there were
only a 1000 made of an item and there was a 1000 people that ever had a
desire to owe one then it is indeed common but it there were 1,000,000
people that wanted one then it is indeed not a common item but a rare
item. The work "rare has to be used with respect to the number of items
built and the demand for that item. There are a lot of items that have
less than 10 built that might be "rare" by the definition given but no
demand.
Maybe different words need to be used:

Extremely desired item (Everybody wants one and price is no object)
Highly desired item (Everybody wants one but price is an object)
Low desired item (Only a few want the item and price is lower)
Undesired itme (you pay the junk collector to take it)
a true anchor item (You take it to the grave with you)

Ron WA0KDS

Like the "Rare" S-38 I saw once! LOL!

Chuck WG2A

"Scott Dorsey" wrote in message
...
Eddie Brimer wrote:
there doesn't have to be less than 10 of anything to be rare. gimme a
break. this is a big world.

That's right. All it needs to be rare is to be for sale on Ebay.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Rare is in the eye of the beholder!
--
--------------------------------------
Diagnosed Type II Diabetes March 5 2001
Beating it with diet and exercise!
297/215/210 (to be revised lower)
58"/43"(!)/44" (already lower too!)
--------------------------------------
Visit my HomePage at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv/index.html
Visit my Baby Sofia website at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv4/index.htm
Visit my OLDTIMERS website at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv5/index.htm
--------------------
Irv Finkleman,
Grampa/Ex-Navy/Old Fart/Ham Radio VE6BP
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Good luck in your battle...I don't know if I'll live another ten years, but
I push at it.

Rare is an uncooked steak! Please finish killing it?

"Irv Finkleman" wrote in message
...


Rare is in the eye of the beholder!
--
--------------------------------------
Diagnosed Type II Diabetes March 5 2001
Beating it with diet and exercise!
297/215/210 (to be revised lower)
58"/43"(!)/44" (already lower too!)
--------------------------------------
Visit my HomePage at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv/index.html
Visit my Baby Sofia website at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv4/index.htm
Visit my OLDTIMERS website at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv5/index.htm
--------------------
Irv Finkleman,
Grampa/Ex-Navy/Old Fart/Ham Radio VE6BP
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

In sXjVd.50427$uc.39155@trnddc08 David Stinson writes:

Eddie Brimer wrote:

there doesn't have to be less than 10 of anything to be rare. gimme a
break. this is a big world.

I submit that in our specialized field, ten is a good number.
The point is that a "rare" set should be very difficult to acquire;
that it should take a large portion of effort and time to find one,
so that you can expect only a couple of such sets
to come to your collection.
This separates the most prized sets from the "Uncommon,"
which also require time and effort to find,
but not to the degree a "Rare" set requires.

I'm with David on this one. I think the "rare" distinction
puts an object into the realm where, even if you were willing
to sell the kids and mortage the house, you still ain't going
to be able to just waltz out and buy one for $$$$$. Luck becomes
a major factor in the game.

An "Uncommon" set should be a source of pride and satisfaction.
A "Rare" set should feel more like a blessing.

Well put.

--
Tim Mullen
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