[brian1961]

Mouschi---

I thoroughly loved your post. A most thought-provocative commentary of the manufactured rarity world of collecting.

I would have to disagree on one point, my fellow collecting warrior. I usually am an understanding person, with a decent imagination, when it comes to visualizing the sheer amount of money, effort, time, and heightened anticipation in buying packs, boxes, and even cases upon cases of product in the hopes of pulling a rare card of one's hero. I well recognize the chances are extremely slim to virtually none that you will achieve that "ultimate pull". No doubt about it, doing so is a super bowl victory and winning the mvp, in our world.

Where I beg to differ is buying the rare card on eBay, or winning it at auction. I fully agree that procuring the rarity by the latter two methods does not come close to the "in the trenches" costly labor of buying, ripping, and pulling.

However, with my refined comprehension and imagination of the supreme cost, difficulty, and minuscule chances of pulling the white whale, I am able to cherish the card in all its inherent beauty, coupled with the knowledge of what I am holding in my hands and the immense rarity and difficulty of getting the piece initially.

There is a true saying that a man really appreciates what he has had to work hard for, and your scenario fits that to a "t". If I had the 43k to do the diamond mining you describe, I couldn't do it. Again, knowledge, understanding, and imagination save me lots of time, trouble, and the 43k.

I know your hero, Jose Canseco, was at his best prior to when the card companies hit on the idea of the manufactured rarities and relic cards. Be that as it may, I feel his Mother's Cookie cards would be a match, even though a very few dealers offered them back in the day.

Well, enough of my palabre. Again, good post, bro!:d