Silence and Feet of Clay

If what they are doing is such a good thing and I'm just misunderstanding their intentions, why can't they even be bothered to attempt to persuade me, as a collector, why this is for my benefit?

Thus writes a portable antiquity collector about Mr Sayles' failure to discuss (or even acknowledge) her questions sent as comments on his blog and a coin news site.

I'll answer that for her. The ACCG actually cannot explain why what they are doing is for the benefit of ethical collectors of portable antiquities of any kind, because it is not.

As a matter of interest and a pointer to the way the discussion in coiney circles goes, just compare the perfectly sound comments she sent which Sayles (though so interested in "the Truth"apparently) twice rejected and the one from Peter Tompa that Sayles published on his blog. The difference between them is clear. The significance of his accepting one and rejecting the other is equally so.

UPDATE 14th July 2009:

Mr Sayles replied to Robyn. He was not however concerned to explain the ACCG's reasoning to a fellow portable antiquities collector. In fact he was rather rude to her:

Do you really a think response is justified? Who do you think you are? Hiding behind a pseudonym does nothing to disguise your egomania and hateful disposition. Play your silly game with someone else.

Well, one might wonder just who Wayne Sayles thinks he is, writing to the lady like that when all she did was express an opinion as a collector about what the ACCG were up to. Of course, we are asked to believe that US coin collectors (his customers) never appear on any of their discussion forums using pseudonyms or signing their full name. But they do, don't they? As for "egomania", what is more egotistical than no-questions-asked collecting of archaeological objects ripped from the archaeological record? Utterly trashing the latter so a few selfish people can have some nice object to fondle and gloat over or brag about to their friends and neighbours.

Give the lady a proper answer, Mr Sayles; show that coin dealers like you are capable of engaging in civil discussion with fellow collectors. While you are at it, you might like to explain why you rejected her earlier comments, and only "answer" (I use the term loosely) when she places them on her own blog. .

[I see Mr Tompa has also replied to Robyn, but discussing the porridge of nonsense he has served up there requires a separate post].