Doc: I've been asked the same question, via private email. The front cover of my copyrighted catalog states; "Permission to disclose the enclosed information is granted ... provided references to the catalog listings published herein be referred to as "Black's Numbers". Permission is NOT GRANTED to photocopy if electronically transmit or reproduce actual pages however."

I'm sure that Myers, Knapp and Wheelden had similar thoughts as I did when we published our respective research works. Our catalogs were intended for use by collectors and chip/token dealers in the hobby; not for commercial profit-making ventures OUTSIDE of the hobby, who did none of the work or research. It certainly was not my intention to hand over all of my work to a commercial grading company. Perhaps we can work together to come up with a solution that would thwart ICG and others from captalizing on our efforts?

This is going to be a hobby problem for ALL authors and researchers of books and catalogs. Yes, even silver strikes and slot cards.

While it would be a great publicity benefit to me if ICG, or another similar service, had to put "Black's Number xxxxxx" on each slab of their proposed thousands of Atlantic City chips submitted to them, I guess I'll have to ask our resident attorney for his suggestion as to what additional language I should add to the 2001 Edition that would prohibit a grading service from using my numbering system. Any suggestions Jim?