Posted By:
Greg EcklundWell, I'm 23 so probably about as close to that generation as there is on this board.
Affordability killed the hobby for many kids - watching the business at my local card shop fade away over 10 years until it closed two years ago was quite an eye opener. In 1988 and 89 when I started collecting, I could go down to the shop and buy a pack of Donruss or Topps for 50 cents, now kids are lucky to be able to find a pack for $2. This is a big problem because the seeds of vintage collecting are planted by the new cards - any kid that is going to become a vintage collector will most likely start with the new stuff. I would trace the affordability issue straight back to Upper Deck's doorstep, but other may have different opinions.
Respect for history in general seems to be going downhill though - how else could we account for companies cutting up relics like Sam Crawford or Jimmie Foxx bats into thousands on little slivers? Every time I even think of buying any of the new issues, I think of that and stop, because I refuse to support any company that would do something like that.