"Rare Items Should...
... Be released once or twice a year."
My two cents.
Keep releases limited to one or two days a year. If for sale, sell at high prices. If in-game quests make sure to put high scoring mini-games in there. Stuff will still be rare.
This gives reasonable chances for the hordes of new players (and some of us who aren't really new, but not old either) the ability to get some of the old stuff. And sure, keep a handful of things in reserve, Holy Grails are great to have... but most all things should be available evetually again and again.
See, I know trading up is possible. But it takes a long time and can be quite frustrating and heartbreaking until you learn the ropes. And there are still some things that I doubt I'll ever get (Inferno... ah...

)
I've done pretty well myself. But I have advantages that others don't. Finding disboards was a huge help in finding people who want what I have and have what I want. Also, I'm an adult. I have the ability to go to DLR (AP Holder) about once a month to get in-park items which I consider uncommon-minor rare. Finally, understand what many kids don't - the idea of buying specials and expensive, trading several of those for one uncommon. Repeat until you get several uncommon then trade for one minor rare. Repeat to get rare, then very rare, and then finally you trade two rooms full of rare and very rare to get one Sparrow Suit.
But, should any items REALLY be worth that much? I don't think so. But the way VMK is set up, it's the only way to get certain things (like a pirate costume). And I think while
most people are fair traders. I think there's a lot of price-gouging greedy people out there. And those can make for some really bad trades to the uninitiated. Some may say That's Life, Learn and Get Over it... but this is supposed to be a game. Something we do to relax and have fun. It's not Wall Street.
</soap box>
Anywho... Thanks for listening.
