Posted By:
Gilbert MainesI recall when Lipsett initially concluded that frequently with baseball cards the value of the whole is less than the value of the sum of its parts. He termed this the "break factor". It doesn't initially seem right that a set is worth less than the individual cards. But it applies to other things as well, such as automobiles.
If this phenomonon is coming to an end, I applaud it. There is a lot of effort involved in putting a set together, and this effort should have a premium associated with it (some think).
Also it is good to think that collectors consider buying complete sets as an option. In coins, this has been going on for a long time: "You want a set of Buffalo nickles? What grade?"