[Bigdaddy]

I enjoy putting together sets, though not so much when I have to shell out $$ for a high number or SP Joe Schmoe. It's certainly not the most economical way to own a set, but it is less painful - one small drop of blood at a time.

What I've always wondered about is the life cycle of sets that we put together. I'm sure many of us building sets have bought individual or groups of cards that became available because of a 'set break'. So those particular cards are in constant flux, being assembled with their brothers and then having the family torn apart. And each time, money changes hands. Some people will make money (usually the dealer or 'breaker-aparter') and others will spend money (the 'set builders'). We'll keep our sets for a while, and then sell them, likely to be broken up individually, resold and then assembled again to make another set.

I try to reconcile how this cycle can not only be self-sustaining, but that people can actually make money inserting themselves into the cycle. I guess as long as card values continue to rise, then energy (money) is being put into the system and someone can tap into it to siphon some of that money off. Or the constant buying and selling is exploiting some inefficiency in the market - say I sell a set for less than I put into assembling it. Someone then can make that money back by breaking up the set and selling it for more individually than they paid for the complete set. Somehow, the energy has to balance.

Now, what was the original question???