Does rarity help or hurt value?

[KMayUSA6060]

I don't think it's a clear cut answer. There's a combination of rarity and scarcity that certainly increases value, but not all rare issues are more expensive, and vice versa - some rare cards are more expensive.

I have two main projects - Hall of Fame run and Grover Hartley PC.

- Mainstream set HoFers typically go for more than their non-mainstream, yet often more rare counterparts (i.e. T207 WaJo vs T206 WaJo). I sold a bunch of HoFers a couple years ago, and as I rebuild that portion of the project, my focus is often the non-mainstream but more rare examples of the HoFers. They're often cheaper (sometimes significantly) and I like the rarity. However, there are some rare issues that are non-mainstream that sell for significantly more than mainstream issues.

- Grover Hartley's rare cards are always more expensive. Is the rarity exactly proportionate to its value? Nope. I just bought an example that is potentially the only known in existence, and it was less than a few of his other cards that have multiple known examples but are part of more desired sets (T207). Within the T207s, his rare backs sell for more than his more common Broadleaf back.