Quote Originally Posted by Joseph Silver View Post
Remember that the spreadsheet lists the average price for the listed items. This means that some trades have the item cheaper, while others have it more expensive.
Oh I know this for sure. Back in the old days, I played a simple java game that had one of the best econ I have ever played, called Dragon court and I went from a dirt poor noob to the most welknown respected member of the community in a few years. I have done my far share of trading, just not in TF2

My favorite quote about trade is:

Everyone values things differently. In other words, they place their own value on everything that affects their lives. Also from moment to moment they may even change their values. Such as a person, who values diamonds above all else, might be willing to trade a gallon of diamonds for a drink of water to save his life in a desert. What this means is value is a relative thing depending on a need or a perceived need. Yet, how many people will argue and even violently fight over the perceived value of something or some idea only later have an entirely different view point or value.
Sidney Madwed

(I love quotes...I got 100+ pages of them that I selected for various reasons)