The True Value of Black Market Items

A Horn of Plenty and a Black Orchid are both worth 1 pass, so people won't mind swapping them in the exchange?

Wrong.

Although items may have the same monetary value they may not have the same impact value which is dependent on their use, demand and ability to access. Items like a Black Orchid are easily obtained in promotions and in horns of plenty, however you are less likely to obtain, for example, a Hera Pack.

I have separated tradeable BMIs into categories based on what I feel is appropriate and a good baseline for others.

Category 1: "Muckheap" BMI, sell for up to 50,000 equus
More common than a Pidgey on Pokemon Go, these items are all 1 pass but not ones you'd choose to spend your pass on unless you were desperate.
Black Orchid
Pandora's Box
Water of Youth
Fertility Wand
Helios' Ray
Ploutos' Parchment
Croesus Fortune
All Bonuses (Spurs, Lunge, Whip and Bell Boots)

Category 2: "Haynet" BMI, sell for up to 200,000 equus
Some are common but have more use in training etc, and some are tradeable but unavailable for passes.
Apollo's Lyre
Philotes' Stroke
Piece of Cloud
Hynos' Blanket
Medusa's Blood
Zeus' Lightning Bolt
Bonus Pack
Artemis' Arrow
Aphrodite's Tears
Achilles' Heel
Chronos Timer

Category 3: "Red Rum" BMI, sell for up to 300,000
Essentially the best BMI going. Based not only on their monetary value but how rare it is to find them in the exchange
Golden Apple
Harmony Pack
Morpheus' Arms
Nyx Pack
Hera's Pack
Titan's Challenge
Horn of Plenty
5th Element
Seal of the Apocalypse
Bewitched Pumpkin
High Kingdom Splint Boot
Philosopher's Stone
Hermes Winged Staff

At this point I was planning on making a huge table saying what you swap for what, but it was wayyyy too big and complex. But essentially you can swap items within a category easily (sometimes offering 2 for 1 or 1 for 2), and you can offer an item from a higher category for an item in a lower category.

As with many things on Howrse, there is no right answer as to what you should and shouldn't trade. Before putting up a trade, check current offers to see if you can get what you want or what other people are offering for that BMI. Also, consider if you would accept your own offer. If not, nobody else will. It is also worth noting that there is no other way to secure your item transactions apart from through the official exchanges, and donating an item to someone and then reserving them a "trade nag" for large amounts of equus to overcome the 300,000 equus limit on trades is Item Trafficking and goes against the Terms of Use.

Happy Howrseing

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