What is also important to remember is that collections - comic books, baseball cards, stamp collections - whatever - were collected before the internet came alo

What is also important to remember is that collections - comic books, baseball cards, stamp collections - whatever - were collected before the internet came along. Therefore, the price was assumed to be what the dealers in such collectibles said the price was. You never really found out what the true market value was unless you actually had a severe cash shortage and sold your 'collectibles'. Then you took what you got given and did not exactly tell everyone that it was a million times less than what you thought you would get. Therefore, actually having market prices as sold (eBay) rather than having what 'Stanley Gibbons' (stamps) will sell you something for - is bringing an important reality check to things.