Steve; You have vividly demonstrated the strength and stability of this hobby by correctly stating that collectors ARE able to get back a LARGE portion of their LE's when they decide to sell ... even at $6 & $7 per chip. Can a 3-time a-week bowler get back the money he spent on his hobby after he's done with it? After all, who wants his old score sheets? Can a sports fan get back his/her money for the season ticket stubs that he/she laid out for major league game admissions, transportation expenses to and from the game? How about the boater who lays out tremedous amounts of money in slip fees and winter storage and maintenance?

This is a great hobby ... and the reason it continues to be so, is because of the relative easy liquidity of our chips and tokens when we tire of our adult collectibles.... or when we need instant cash for some other interest that develops down the road. True, some folks do better than others when it comes time to cash in our chips. Overall, I think the rate of recuperation of our financial outlays pursuing our hobby is relatively high. When folks lose sight of the hobby aspect and get into the investing angle of chip collecting, including slabbing, sometimes that is where some folks lose big-time. If on the other hand, one's collection increases in value over the years when it becomes time to sell, that is a definite plus.

Yes, I'm a dealer who makes money from collectors on the sale of LE chips through my A.C. new issues service ... and I'm very proud of the service I provide. I am also a collector who purchases obsolete chips from other dealers for additions to my personal collection. So we're all in this great hobby together, and for the most part I would like to think that we all get along pretty well with each other... with few exceptions. I sincerely hope the hobby stays this way and that LE's continue to attract new collectors into the hobby who just might develop into fine obsolete chip collectors like yourself someday.