The quesrtion really is, why not liange your pieces?
When pieces of coral,are nice,exotic,rare,morph to a diffirent color,grow fraster,produce better in captivivty,etc.they will put it on linage.
Linage insures the fragment you are purchasing,is the real deal.Most of the pieces out of the wild may look similer,but when right next to each other,may be in fact,quite diffirent.So this is why linage is important and matters to some.
Its like buying a dog.People who show their dogs,dont want to buy a mut,its the same thing with corals.WE WANT THE REAL DEAL!
I think the linage is a good thing,yet it does raise the price of the corals.If I can find a cheaper wild version that looks the same,why not.I would rather save $500 on My Miami and get a look alike for $250.But if its a simple watermelon chalice,or a really nice Favia,Acropora,Motipora,or a Paly,I will buy it if its not over priced.And to be $250 isnt over priced if its nice.And most pices today arent over $250 if they arent RARE.
Linage is a great thing to have,it will increase the price,but yet again,it will insure you get the real deal.I know I wouldnt want to buy Tyree Lime In the Sky Acropora if it werent the real deal.Some colors of corals havent been reproduced from the wild,I have yet to see,a wild Lime In The Sky colony come in from the wild.If we get 1 piece of it from the wild,and thats it,that means we can propagate it,provide more of it.
I see nothing wrong with Linage untill it starts to cause the price to go up to to roof.And yes,prices are high,but they are still pretty cheap considering you can always sell a piece of the coral later on in life.
I do think that however,prices can be stupid when linage come into play.I dont think some coral should have sold for $2000+,but its market demand,and thats what linage is about to some people.To me its like buying dogs.
Call up Jhon Danakan and ask him why he keeps records of his Bazooka Joe.
Happy Reefing!