While I have to take the experiences of longtime dealers into account, I just can't totally buy that there were so few high grade older cards back then. I've been into things since .. figure 78, since that's when I went to my first show.
Very high grade prewar cards weren't common then, but to say they're common now is a bit of a stretch.
Looking at the pop reports, which may be slightly high
For T206
PSA 8 8+ 9 10
2394 61 278 13
Qualifiers 8 129
9 40
Total graded - about 237,000
2915 is a bit over 1% (1.22)
SGC. (Incomplete as the pop report doesn't list 350-460 piedmonts, or at least didn't find them in the search - Yeah, it's really bad. )
8 167
8.5 43
9 28
Didn't do a total. It would have taken way too long.
That's not really all that many, especially considering how many out there that are mid grade or lower just aren't graded.
What is probably happening is that those high grade cards get more attention, and probably are for sale more often. (I'm amazed how often you guys move cards along, many of mine have been with me for 30 + years)
That doesn't mean that the high grade ones aren't altered, but the number of them out there is actually pretty reasonable.
The best I graded myself is a 7, and that came from a collection that arrived at the dealers in a box, like nearly all of them did in the early 80's. I had it in a sheet, then a screwdown, and eventually a toploader and penny sleeve.
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