Jerome I got a good laugh out of this post. We are a strange bunch , aren't we? $1k for the Rubenstein collection was a bargin, but going from $25 to $35 for a Chet Baker LP makes it pricey????
Notice I said "We", because I do the same thing. I can't tell you how many times I have made a similar type of comment only the think as soon as I finished "WTF did I just say?"
We may be crazy, (my wife will second that motion), but at least we're happy inside our own little world. 
Lol! Value judgements are relative to your frame of reference. Usually for me it comes down to how badly do I want something, taking into consideration the scarcity of the thing and the demand for it. So yeah, $25 for a 180g Chet Baker reissue that is plentiful and still in print is a bit pricey in my estimation (especially seeing that they are pressed at RTI, which is not my favorite record manufacturer by a long shot).
On the other hand, the Rubinstein set has been out of print for 10 years, and is a limited production run of 200. There probably won't ever be another set like this made, at least in my lifetime. On rare occasions when they do come up for sale they usually sell quickly, and for a lot more than I paid for mine. So while the grand I paid for the Rubinstein Collection seems like a lot (which I agree that it is), I was actually prepared to go considerably higher on it. But it suits me just fine that I didn't have to.
And yes, my wife thinks I'm off my rocker too. And well....she's right!
--Jerome
