@chapeau-noir I think The Vault concept contains a buffer ... trading cards could end up being another Tulip craze , but there will likely always be SOME asset that could be stored there that is appreciating in value as cards are declining. Also, very often with collectibles, even if the bottom falls out of the specific market generally, the very top items retain some value, often considerable value. Even today, for example, there are a few Beanie Babies that are worth a fair bit.
So, ebay can just adapt the Vault to include whatever is "hot" at the moment. The speculators might lose money, but ebay probably won't. Kind of like Vegas...gamblers win, gamblers lose, but gamblers continue to gamble, and the casinos continue to make money.
No question that speculation is fueling a lot of this, and The Vault is designed in part to further fuel speculation, with its emphasis on buying and easy flipping, rather than on actual collecting. Speculation like this has a long history, but it seems to be a particularly good fit in modern America.
To quote the estimable Glenn Frey "It's the lure of easy money. it's got a very strong appeal"
