This AMD GPU shortage isn't quite so terrible. I have a pair of AMD 5850s that I've been offered $250 each for. Never imagined those kinds of returns on 4 years old graphics hardware.
I wonder if the demand for altcoin mining cards will end up becoming so great that Nvidia will modify their architecture to better facilitate it.
Alternatively, you could try mining yourself if you're curious and want to learn about cryptocurrencies. I wrote a guide on how to get started with mining in <10 minutes (mostly for friends with gaming PCs), for some of my friends who were interested.
I wonder if the demand for altcoin mining cards will end up becoming so great that Nvidia will modify their architecture to better facilitate it.