Even though I said I'm done, I have to reply one more time and also thank you publicly for your "gentlemanly" replies to my original post.
It's better than calling my post "crap"!!
Anyway, I do have to agree with this post almost 100%, but not quite. I do agree that one should collect for FUN and try NOT to put a value on the items we choose to collect as tough as that may be in this day and age. It is a GREAT hobby and I've made a lot of friends in the almost 10 years I've been an active member, you included !
I do not, however agree with your comparisons of hobbies......it's apples and oranges. It comes down to expectation of return, not how much you spend on your hobby. Those that bowl, go to ballgames or are boaters are EXPECTING a different "return" than the return a chip collector expects for his/her hard earned cash.
To use another comparison that doesn't fit would be that you place your money in a bank, let's say $100 and six months later it's worth $80?? I don't think you'd be too happy. Again, it's expectation. As a bowler, I pay for 10 fames...go to a ballgame, hope the game is exciting...calm seas when I go sailing.......those are my expectations. Only in gambling (stocks or casinos) would a person go in EXPECTING a possible loss of initial cash outlay. My one and only point here is that we would be dis-honest if we let new collectors believe that if they collect LE's, they will always be safe in their investment.