... of forthright personal opinions on our chip collecting BB's, Scott. I will continue to do so ... and I've even been known to express an opinion of my own on occasion.

In fact, I have some opinions about a few of the things you've said:

>> Add that to the general message that several club members have voiced
>> wanting to dictate WHAT can be collected, HOW it can be collected, and
>> WHO can be associated with in the progress of collecting or risk being
>> ostracized by the club is quite frightening.

As far as I've seen -- and I have read every message on this and the club BB on this subject -- NO ONE has said that they want to dictate WHAT can be collected. As far as slabbed chips are concerned, I (and others opposed to slabbing) have said, without qualification, slab chips if you want, buy them if you want, sell them if you want. Just don't expect to do it in club venues, at least not as far as I'm concerned.

Nor has anyone expressed a desire to "dictate" HOW you collect chips, slabbed or otherwise. Collect them any way you want.

Nor, though you don't mention it, do we want to dictate WHERE you collect slabbed chips, except to say you're not going to be permitted to do it in our venues.

Nor have we said that anyone should be restricted from freely associating with anyone they choose to associate with. What we have said is that we will choose not to do business with dealers who participate in chip slabbing. That's our choice, freely made.

Finally, NO ONE has suggested that anyone should be ostracized by the club. No one would be expelled from the club for collecting slabbed chips. Or for slabbing them. Or selling or buying slabbed chips. On the other hand, don't expect my support for a practice which I believe detrimental to my hobby.

>> As much as the success of other hobby's "slabbing" is disturbing, it is
>> more disturbing to witness fascist behavior erupting in any hobby which
>> should be the personal enjoyment of collecting REGARDLESS how someone
>> chooses to collect.

I resent your use of the term fascist. To quote Webster, fascism is "a political philosophy, movement, or regime that exalts nation and often race
above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government
headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation,
and forcible suppression of opposition -- or -- a tendency toward or actual
exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control.

It is, of course, now a perjorative term. And has no application to this situation. Our club leaders are democratically elected. We do not have a dictator (the president has little individual authority). We certainly don't have any means of imposing "forcible suppression" of opposing points of view.

Our board will make decisions about club activities. If the members don't like those decisions, the board members can be voted out of office at the next election. It's about as un-fascist as any system can get. Your inflammatory hyperbole does not, in my opinion, serve any useful purpose.

>> If a casino chip collector wants to drill holes in $100 LE chips and
>> make an ankle bracelet out of them LET HIM if it makes them happy.

Has someone here suggested anything to the contrary? If not, what's your point.

>> If someone has gobs of money and wants chips in "slabs" LET HIM buy it!

See my comment above. Nothing I or anyone has said would prohibit anyone from buying slabbed chips if he wants to.

>> What difference does it make if they are only in it for speculation?

None, really, though speculators can and will ruin the hobby (just as they did with coins and trading cards). So, pardon me if I'd like to make sure my hobby doesn't get ruined in the same way.

>> Do you think non-"slabbing" will keep away investors like some sort of
>> Kryptonite?

Perhaps not -- and now that it's here, getting rid of slabbing completely may be difficult or impossible. Doesn't mean we shouldn't try.

>> What kind of hobby are you preserving where strict rules and guidelines
>> are being drawn by a handful of people currently in power to do so?

Actually, our "rules" and "guidelines" are for the most part pretty broad and all-inclusive. ICG's slabbing "rules" and "guidelines" would be a lot more restrictive than the approach currently prevailing in the hobby.

>> Control freaks are trying to maintain a germ-free, perfect environment
>> and FUN and ENJOYMENT are being sacrificed in the process.

One of the supposed advantages of slabbing is that the slabbed items is in a hermetically sealed, germ-free, perfect environment. Were you trying to be ironic? Or don't you even see it?

>> Years ago I saw a woman encouraging her son to collect comic books.
>> Unfortunately, she got lost in the "investment" aspect and removed
>> any fun and enjoyment for her son. It all became very hermetical.

What did she do, slab his comic books?

>> Jeez, let the kid fold back the cover, kick back in comfort and READ
>> the damn thing if thats what he'd like to do!

And how is he going to do that, once it's slabbed? Coming as it does right over your link to a site about slabbed comic books, this comment is particularly bizarre.

----- jim o\-S