Nate; Do you think it is possible that not everybody who visits and/or posts to this board for the first time is genuinely interested in the hobby, or CCGTCC? Is it possible that a few of them may be stooges for the grading/slabbing companies that are engaged in "winding our watches"? Don't you find it strange for someone who is seeking answers to many questions, is reluctant to post his email address where I'm sure that many club-member "lurkers" who do not post to this bb would be more than willing to make contact via private e-mail rather than post publicly? Would it surprise you (or anyone else) that perhaps we have been visited by some of ICG or PCGS graders on this bb? Do you think that is possible?

Once again for the record; if somebody is hell-bent on submitting chips to ICG or PCGS to be graded and slabbed ... or is hell-bent on purchasing slabbed chips from the Mark's and Henry's in this club ... let 'em go do it. Nobody is stopping them. They don't have to justify why they are interested in doing so. I see a cross-section list of close to 300 club members, from the earliest Charter Member pioneers to the most recent newbies and everyone in between, who have said that under no circumstances will they purchase or own a slabbed chip... nor would they do business with those who are engaged in selling them. That's a mighty powerful statement! That clear message certainly overwhelms the few posts I've read from the card slabber/promoter who would have us think differently. The bulk of CCGTCC members who are not on-line have not been privy to this raging debate on this bulletin board over these past several months, nor are they aware of the controversy in general.... but that will all change with the next issue of the club magazine.

To those who disagree with the anti-slab movement, that's fine ... but I personally am not going to encourage or endorse slabbing to those who are hearing for it for the first time in order to get them to join the club. If that drives people away from the hobby, I agree with Jimbo.... that's their choice to make.

ANA has 30,000 members. One pie-in-the-sky poster had indicated that he could forsee millions of chippers in the future (like card collectors) if we only embraced slabbing like the card folks have. Does anyone believe that? Does anyone want that? One guy who unsuccessfully ran for club office two years ago predicted 10,000 chippers in our club in the next five years .... but I have yet to see many club membership applications with his name as sponsor published in the club magazine.

Let's get real folks! The slabbers want our money, not our chips. Those who are purchasing slabs as an investment also want your money ... sometime down the road.... as a re-sale. The collector derives great satisfaction with owning and putting chips in his collection. If sometime down the road the collector decides to sell, and he/she experiences a windfall profit because the chip he/she held on to is in demand (as opposed to being housed in a plastic tomb)... that's wonderful!

Will there be desireable chips house in plastic tombs? Absolutely. I know that I won't have the privilege of owning every Atlantic City chip out there, whether it be slabbed or not slabbed. The slabbed ones will have NO chance of being in my collection ... and I'm sure there are many, many collectors who feel the same way.

Have a nice weekend. I'm outta here!