It feels like the question of 'Why we collect?' was much simpler to address 25 years ago.

I recently read that there are those who claim that card collecting has psychological benefits.  Whether connecting with other collectors, pursuing a specific player/team, or completing a set, this hobby can provide relaxation, purpose, and social interaction.  I guess they never experienced the angst of losing out on an auction in the final seconds.  Argh!  But, personally, I would say that collecting has provided more relaxation, purpose & interaction than angst.

Obviously, in the last 25 years, there is another dynamic to consider - Money!  The advent of serialized cards, variations, autographs, relics, etc. has caused a pursuit of some cards that have limited availability.  Without delving to deeply into the microeconomics of the situation, the marketing drove the consumer and the scarcity drove the price.  And the reality is that those cards affected the prices in the entire card market.

Additionally, the creation of authenticated & slabbed cards/packs/boxes/cases by the self-proclaimed authorities on such matters, has also caused a similar dynamic of scarcity.  The business of sports cards is very lucrative for a dozen or so organizations that continue to drive the need for authentication and protection.

Finally, the organizations that found some success in providing forums in which to buy & sell cards have also become part of the financial equation, along with the "investor" organizations that bought up lots of vintage and scarce modern cards to ensure the price adjusted favorably for them.

I can remember collecting money for my paper route, going to the corner store and buying 10 cent packs of 1972 Topps Baseball.  The excitement of getting some favorites or checking more off the series checklist was only compounded by the smell of gum,  Typically, I would open the packs while walking the 3 blocks home.  But if my friends were with me, we would wait until we got to my house and sit on the curb opening them together.  They are great and vivid memories that continue to drive me.  It's why we are here.  Thanks for taking a moment to read this post and please feel free to give any feedback.  Looking forward to connecting with many of you!

- TeeDub