A few positives when looking at the future of the hobby:

Most collectibles that attain mainstream popularity (baseball cards, comics, etc.) do so because they invoke memories of an individual's youth. The great poker boom of 2003 produced on era in which MILLIONS of people in their teens and twenties played poker not only on-line but in poker rooms as well. The ever increasing handle of sports books and the explosion of baccarat play in asia (and in las vegas) has also led to a surge in young people gambling. In a generation or two when these gamblers reach their 40's and 50's, chips could be a hot new fad!

I occasionally sell on e-bay as well as the chipboard. I am always amazed at the number of different people that actually buy a chip on the open market. This shows that the number of people that collect, beyond just pocketing a chip on their trip to a casino, is really greater than what it appears. Remember, the ccgtcc and the chipboard is an extremely small community. I collected for 10 years before it even occurred to me that others collected chips and there were chip shows, auctions, etc. I am sure many others fall into the same category.

In almost EVERY area of collecting, history has shown that if you buy the rare, high-grade, most sought after items, they will not only hold their value, but increase.

In closing, the greatest asset this hobby has is all the dedicated people who VOLUNTEER their time for the advancement of the CCGTCC, MOGH, and all the regional collecting clubs. Thank You!