I got my Linkman's for 10 bucks. It had some noticeable rim char and lots 'o cake but the stem was pristine so I took a shot and won it.
This old thing smokes like a dream! I know, I know. You want to see it. I'll put together a thread with pics of my recently acquired old pipes soon.
The most I've paid for a pipe in the last 2 yrs is for a C.P.F. carved claw briar with bone stem. I paid about $30.00 for it because I don't see that many of these and it seems a real piece of pipe history.
I have been smoking it and it performs like a champ.
I've got a TRU GRAIN due in today. I am a little worried about how much wood may be missing near the rim, but this one only cost me $5.00 so I took a gamble.
I am kind of looking for older briar lately, thinking that it is superior to new stuff, by and large.
Anther recently acquired pipe was a B. Barling & Sons smooth bent billiard for under $30.00. It's in excellent condition and smokes as good as any pipe I have. (I've got about 30 briars in rotation))