[Posted this below in a thread, but meant to make it a new post, so am redoing it here as well -- guess this note gets me out of yet another double post penalty! <g>]

... on eBay.

Slabbed 2000-P Virginia quarter graded MS-65, opening bid $9.95 currently at $17.00:

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=528014422

Slabbed 2000-P Virginia quarter graded ONE POINT better (out of a scale of 70) at MS-66, opening bid $19.95 currently at $27.99:

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=528006968

Slabbed 2000-D Virginia quarter graded at same MS-66, opening bid $19.95 currently at $29.99:

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=528008325

Slabbed 2000-D Virginia quarter graded ONE POINT better at MS-67, opening bid $49.95 (!!!) currently at $66.00:

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=528012123

These are CURRENT quarters, straight out of the mint this year. Being produced by the HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS.

And check out this line from the MS-67 auction description:

>> Just graded at PCGS, and they have been very tough lately.

Guess that means that yesterday's MS-67 isn't quite the same thing as today's. So much for the uniformity and integrity of the process.

NOW, project that into our hobby with respect to an issue of say 1000 chips and you tell me where you see the prices going when the grading service gets into CS-95 as opposed to CS-96 or CS-94. And if you think the price increases based on the slabbed chips won't effect the cost of others that are not slabbed, think again. ----- jim o\-S