What's wrong with this picture?

[Mr. Jaggers]

See if you can guess. In the November 2, 2009 issue of Coin World, there is
a column entitled "Discovery awaits; market increases with new finds."

Within the text, we learn about a new example of the extremely rare 1817
over 14 half dollar, which was "unearthed by a contractor in 2005, sold at
auction for $253,000 in 2006, and later resold at auction for $109,250 in
2009."

I seem to sense a disconnect somewhere in that story, but just can't put my
finger on it. Can anyone help?

James the Flummoxed

[oly]

"Increase" don't always mean mo' money??? "Market" has a wider
meaning than just "price"???

IMHO, things are just going to get worse before they get worse. I see
it every single damn day. People aren't getting just their
"discretionary" incomes cut - it is already going deep into the
"necessary" monies.

oly

[Bob]

Obviously "market" should really be "supply" (though "supply increases
with new finds" would be a tautology). Certainly the supply of these
rare coins increased. As for the huge plunge in auction prices
realized, evidently the "market" for bust half dollar varieties at
these rarified levels is very thin, and the underbidder of 2006 (if he
was the buyer in 2009) had much less competition. Right now it is
large cent varieties that are bringing insane money.

[oly]

> large cent varieties that are bringing insane money.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Actually, I feel that "Market" means people, interested people. I
think that it is a fairly well proven thing that increased supply
(such as the dispersal of a hoard) actually creates additional
collectors - so long as that new supply is brought to the market at a
well-measured pace.

As for that Bust half mentioned, I think that there has been a "deep
freeze" for this type of thing with recent economic mis-developments,
and thus the discounted price.

oly