Most people "farming" the items will shard them anyway so why pancake about it? They will make bucks on other shards and the item will still be worth plenty here. And for sentimental collectors value is not measured in gold pieces anyway. So quit crying already and play the game!:gun:
There is a reason the EMs say, no more robes, this event is in progress and there is a reason they say, this portal will be closed off after everyone who attended gets their special surprise. If you want the items then attend the function or don't complain.
I will tell you this as a collector, with the amount of gates that I watched open after the event, then no one has anything special and you really don't have to worry about nothing be xsharded because none of these items are worth anything anyway, kinda like the valentine's candy I see all over Luna floor.
The reason for all the gates last night is because people do assume they are going to max out on all chars and make gold. I personally went in several of these gates all being gated from personal houses and they must have had alot of accounts, because it was continuous for a very long time.
The events are fun and I enjoy everyone I go to and I don't expect items if I am not there. So people need to quit farming as it is only a waste of their time and really destroys what the EMs are trying to accomplish.