Kelly,

The LE chip thing is something that many of us disagree on.

I think that the large number of LE chips many honoring things which are insignificant or irrelevant makes these chips no different than any other souvenior you could buy in the gift shop. That doesn't mean you or others shouldn't collect them, it just means that I don't ... I do collect only a few and they are almost always related to gambling themes. One casino in Colorado had a chip for "lost sock day" that will not be in my collection even if I were to celebrate this new holiday. Some casinos seem to be chip factories. Last March I went with a collecotr friend to THE OPERA HOUSE. The casino was empty. Maybe two people playing the machines the tables were empty. I believe one table was open and their was no one playing. My friend bought a large number of LE's from the cage. We joke that the casino probably made more on him that day then they did from the floor.

Other people point out that a large number of our new members are LE collectors and conclude that LE's are good for the hobby because they bring in new collectors. I agree with this . . . Its just that I believe that these new collectors could also be brought into the hobby with a smaller number of LE issues.

I don't think LE's ruin the hobby. I think they are their own hobby. I do believe that the huge numbers of releases coupled with the manipulation of small releases will eventually ruin the hobby of collecting LE chips. You can already see the division of LE collectors who believe that chips should be released in quantity sufficient to supply all collectors, and those who believe chips should be released with an eye toward driving up proces on the secondary market.

I don't think its fair to compare it to slabbing.