Yes, I'd still collect.
That's assuming the hobby was around in anything resembling the same form it takes now.
Wether we like it or not, T206 and the Wagner in particular are a big part of what made the hobby as big as it is.
I am or have been involved in hobbies that don't have something like that, and some that do.
16mm films are nearly all rare, a common one might have 50+ copies that exist and even ones where the film is popular and maybe 3-4 copies exist only get up to maybe $10,000. (I've heard of one at that level, and a few that are close)
I used to collect telephone/telegraph insulators - A handful go for $20K + but that's pretty recent when I was into looking for them at flea markets a really amazing one might be a couple hundred.
So without the Wagner and the combination of great player/great story/rare but not so rare that nobody ever imagines finding one in an old collection the hobby might be little known like the other two I mentioned. And the stuff at the high end would only be 10-20 thousand. And I'd be collecting pretty much everything since I'd be able to aford it (Like early 80's pricing today)
Steve B
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