[jchcollins]

My father thought it was ridiculous that cards from his childhood era were going for "so much" in the late 1980's. My mother and I used to get in trouble when she allowed me to bring home an "expensive baseball card", which back then might be, say, a '66 Topps Sandy Koufax for 20 bucks.

Since the modern hobby became self-aware 40 or so years ago, certain things have always been considered stupid expensive. So are Ferrari's and Van Gough's - but people still buy them...