It's certainly a puzzle.
At one time, probably before I started collecting I think most collectors were set collectors.
The whole "rookie card" thing had taken hold by 77, and I'm sure earlier.
But there was a reason.
Most collectors were kids, and many kids collected for maybe 3-5 years.
Then stuff was given away or thrown out but some kept a handful of their favorite players.
At the time most rookies didn't become stars right away, so were less saved than other players.
By 1980 that wasn't really true anymore, and rookie cards were being hoarded as investments (earlier too, but it becoming a big thing was gradual. )
For a long time it's been "the rookie card is the most valuable" and more recently the money has reinforced that. Even without a good reason in most cases.
So people keep the cards currently worth money, knowing that most commons will be very inexpensive by later in the year.
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