“Of greater value”

What does the phrase “of greater value” mean to you in terms of trade?  To me, it initially meant something worth more money, as in business.  I’m participating in something called “The Paper Clip Challenge” as part of my business course.  I began with nothing and had to acquire a paper clip.  Fortunately, my spouse had one.  I then set out to trade it with someone for something “of greater value”.  As I was contemplating how to pitch the trade lines, it occurred to me that “of greater value” could mean something worth more in terms of sentimental value, not just something worth more money.  I traded a friend my paper clip for a fancy metal bookmark using the sentimentality strategy (and half-joking in the process).  Now I had a fancy metal bookmark to trade for something “of greater value”.  It then occurred to me between that and the next trade that “of greater value” could be something of greater use and practical value.  I had no use for a fancy bookmark, but I did have use for what I was able to trade it for, which ended up being a nice (not cheap) Staedtler pen and some sticky notes.  Two items in exchange for one!  Now “greater value” could even mean growth in my small trade business, because I could do one of two things – I could either trade each item separately for other objects “of greater value”, or I could trade both as a “package deal” for something “of greater value”.  A third option would be to offer one and then throw in the other as a freebie or part of a set for something “of greater value” for the next trade.

The funny thing is that I’m stumped on this one.  This is great!  These are both items that are “of greater value” in all four of the areas I have identified as areas that could qualify as  being “of greater value”, but I can’t decide how to proceed from here.  I sat yesterday and contemplated it instead of making another trade because I’m trying to think of how one strategy might complement another and so on.  In addition, if I were looking for things to keep in terms of trade, I’d keep these items instead of trading them because they’d be useful to me!  That’s something I hadn’t counted on, either.  “Of greater value” can now mean time as well.  How much time does it require to make the trades, evaluate the trades, make decisions regarding the trades?  Time has now become a factor “of greater value”.  Today, I plan on making a trade.  I have no idea how this will finally turn out, but it should be interesting, and has already taught me a lot about business considerations!  What would you trade for a paper clip?