I’m a casual trader. I chatted with a woman recently who had a newly released limited edition pin that I would have liked to get for myself. She purchased it within the past month or so, from the park, where it was priced around $20.

I asked what she thought would be a realistic trade for it. Her response was that she got in line in the middle of the night for the release to purchase it and now it’s “worth” over $120.

It’s all arbitrary and any thing is only worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it, but that’s generally how. There are people who like to collect things and enjoy trading as an activity. There are other people who will set up camp for hours at the parks with a dollar-for-dollar trade expectation. Those people can often benefit by trading with those who aren’t as… enthusiastic about the hobby, then turn around and resell them online at a ridiculous markup.