Posted By:
jeff(that's "Oxford English Dictionary," for those who don't know)
rare, def. 3: Of a kind seldom found, done, or occuring, uncommon, infrequent; unusual, exceptional, few and far between. (derives from Middle English, if you care <g>)
scarce, def 1: Restricted in quantity, size, or amount; scanty.
Okay...seems to me that they are synonyms. If high-grade E103s are rare, they are scarce. If any E223s at all are scarce, they are also rare.
If a steak is rare, however, it is not scarce.
Of course, people use the words way too often. T206s, in general (even in high grade) are not scarce/rare/scanty/unusual/exceptional, but Magies are. (But not as much as Planks!)
Jeff