Pre-wwI card issue scarcity

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Posted By: runscott 

Is there any published list of card issue scarcity? I would like to see a "scarcity indicator" for every pre-wwI card issue. Like on a scale of 1-100, the most common issue would get a 100, then down from there - maybe t206s get "100" (or maybe not), Allegheny's get a "1", etc. Is this something that the combined expertise of this board could put together?

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Posted By: leon

I am pretty sure I read an article in a VCBC where someone actually came up with a mock one. I think it was only a scale of 1-10 though....which I think would be inadequate. I would be willing to help and I think a few other board members would too. I am in if anyone else is......breast regards

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Posted By: Hankron

I hate to get technical, but it would be a ranking of rarity not scarcity. Scarcity is a relative term (Something is scarce if demand substantially succeeds supply), while rarity is an absolute number and not related to demand ... If there is only one card and no one wants it, the card is rare but not scarce ... Due to demand (and as reflected in book value), a 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth is scarcer than a Ray Benge 1933 Goudey, even though Benge is most likely rarer.

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Posted By: runscott

Also, I know you distinguished the two before, but I forgot about it.

Rarity is indeed the card issue characteristic I am concerned with.

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Posted By: Hankron

Exluding the eBay sellers who use terms 'rare', 'very rare' and 'original' simply as devices to gather a few extra bucks on their auctions, I've found that the baseball card hobby uses the terms 'rare' and 'scarce' largely accurately.

Looking at the hobby, dealers/collectors call a card 'rare' if there are strickly very few in existence (the Honus Wagner is rare). While 'scarce' is used to label a card that is too plentiful to be called rare, but is limited in number and difficult to obtain if you want one. Certainly the 1974 Topps 'Washington Nationals' variations are not rare. But, if you are trying to finish the set, you know these much tougher to get than the other cards.

Another common term for scarce that I like is 'tough.' Meaning, irrelevant to how many are theoritically out there, if you want one it's tough to get. Often relates to condition. "The 1978 Topps Molitor/Trammell (I was born in Wisconsin, so Molitor goes first) are easy to find, but tough to get in high grade because of the print smudge."

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Posted By: runscott

I remember scratching my head when I pulled a "Nate Colbert Washington" from a pack. Still have it.