Posted By:
Jim DaleFirst let me say that I learned a little about collecting vintage cards just a few years ago and never looked twice at them before that. Someone else mentioned this above after your post in that anything you find involving money is going to have some of the same troubles.
I found "vintage" because the modern cards I enjoyed the most had the exact same problems you are bothered about here. I quit (am glad I did) collecting a modern card that has an emphasis of online trading (etopps) after spending nearly 10k there over 3 years. Once I quit it became fun to study the posts here, at the PSA and Beckett boards on several different sets I like. I try to collect them, but I can see some of the same problems revolving around them. Its sad....but as it was stated it is going to exist in anything you want to collect.
FYI...you think we have it bad try fine art.