Posted By:
peter chaoPhil,
Demanding collectors do both. Everybody wants the scarce rookie of the Hall of Famer. But the preference is to obtain the scarce card in the best overall condition.
However, as to which is more important. Scarcity is clearly more important. The reason is that scarcity has always been primary. As a matter of fact scarcity is even more important than obtaining a rookie card. Just witness the recent jump in Mantle's '69 Topps White-Letter.
The White-Letter is known as Mantle's scarcest regular issue. Real Mantle collectors need one and I'm lucky enough to have two. Also, Mantle collectors are only now starting to obtain Mantle's last regular Topps card, so there is potential for the white-letter to keep going up.
The same with condition, even 5 years ago, condition was no big deal. Now it is virtually the Alpha and the Omega.
Peter