1979-1980 Topps Unopened price trends

[tulsaboy]

I have collected unopened packs and boxes over the last 10 years or so. In just the last 6 months- 1 year, it seems like the prices of unopened 1979 and 1980 packs and boxes have gone through the roof. BBCE is commanding huge premiums on ebay, but even regular sellers are having lots of high sale prices. I guess i am perplexed for several reasons. First, why the recent jump? Neither set has recently experienced a major hall of fame inductee or major player death. What has sparked the timing of the increase? Second, why such a huge price for relatively abundant unopened product? Is a 15 card 1980 pack really worth $25-50 each? With the ability to source and obtain the set's most desireable cards in great shape for less than a pack's price, it doesnt make sense. The classic argument for buying unopened, being either the scarcity of the unopened product itself or the lack of high-grade examples of key cards making opening the product a reasonable lottery style gamble, just dont hold up. If you open a pack of 1950's-1960's, it is primarily for the experience of having done so. Who cares too much about 79 Topps? Does anyone think this is a bubble? I just have a really hard time thinking the supply has dwindled so dramatically that the prices are justified. When full cases are still available from time to time, and when full boxes are on ebay daily, i think the prices are silly.

As a secondary question, if we are seeing these price increases on 1979-1980, are similar increases on 1981-1983 a few years away?

Kevin