Jim I do not have any written documention. Estimated sales figures in the hobby have grown leaps and bounds over the last eight years. Before that the hobby was twindling and at best static. Auction totals from major auction houses in the hobby continue to set records reguarly. Mastro Fine Sports Auctions, last two day auction did a total of Six million dollars. I use the word grading because a card is graded first then encapsulated in a slab. When I send a card to a grading company I send it in to be graded, I would not send it in just to be slabbed, without a grade. Again I have no written documentation that the growth in the card hobby resulted from the establishment of grading. All I can say is they coincided, and that I have been a dealer for 16 years, and the influx of my new customers are primarly due to the grading of cards, and that my old customers purchases are much greater than they were prior to grading. I have a question also. I am not saying that you said this, but I have read other posts that say if chip grading takes hold it will ruin this hobby like it has the baseball card hobby. Do you or anyone else have any written documentation to this statement. I just do not understand how a hobby can be ruined that has millions of active collectors. Don't you agree that it would be great if the chip hobby could grow someday like this? Thanks Ric