To me it seems like one of those fads that will die out through the generations. Back in the 80s getting a pricey RC signed was taboo, and 8x10s were extremely popular. You can get photos for pennies on the dollar these days. The RC craze (which has extended to minor league issues as well, something I don't really get) gained a lot of steam during COVID but the prices shot up too dramatically, in my opinion, to really have any staying power. Add to the fact, more recent guys like Trout, Ohtani, Verlander, etc...their RCs will be in much shorter supply 10-20 years from now, considering they rarely do signings. In Trout's case, the last several signings he's done have had a "no card" policy. So while the post above mentioned 1960ish is the reasonable starting point, 2010ish might be a reasonable end point. I think once people realize the window for collecting HOF RCs is closing as quickly as it opened, it will lose some appeal, especially to younger collectors without as much disposable income. That's not to say there isn't a good amount of HOFers and potential HOFers for someone to collect in that 50-year span, but what will a signed Kaline RC be selling for in 10-20 years, and will anyone starting out be willing to pay that much for someone they genuinely don't know much about? As stated above though, it's about what you want to collect. Trying to collect as purely an investment is risky, but if you collect what you love, your collection will always have value to you. If that value happens to also be monetary down the road, consider that a bonus.
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