Posted By:
Gilbert MainesIf there was no baseball card collecting hobby, would there be more cards available today, or less? That is, how many would have been lost to attrition over the past fifty years?
But that is neither the case, nor the question. In the absence of data regarding how many cards are being taken off the market for a long term, all we have is opinions.
Here is mine: I think that a great many cards were taken off the market, in bulk, in the 1970s. From the 80s on the base of collectors has continuously expanded. This expansion has resulted in an increase in demand for those remaining cards. Both collectors and investors are likely to keep cards for the long term. So, I agree with your assessment. Each year there are less cards available, and since the higher grade cards are less common, it is most noticable in that group.