Tom - What seems to be your hang up with the price of strikes not matching what somebody prints in a book. In the real world the price is what a given person will pay on a given day, nothing more nothing less. The books you seem to be so hung up about were started to try and let new collects and old ones also have an idea as to what they might expect to pay, the only problem is the prices were just one or two pleoples ideas. Art Beckers first book was way low on most strikes andd he has continued to update his prices but it still makes no difference, if I want to list a strike for sale at 3 times some book value that is what I belive it is worth based on what I have seen them sell for or it might be based on what it cost me to win or buy the strike.
As others have said, its time you got a real job or some hobby and not worry about what people are selling or buying strikes for.
As I said before in another post YOU AREN'T GOD, so give it a break.
Walt
P.S. Again I ask if you have ever collected strikes, I think not so why are you so worried about what others pay to add to thier collections.