I was on this board and collecting for a number of years before I finally joined. I made friends, learned a ton, had questions answered and bought a bunch of great chips without being a member. What did I get from joining? My biggest draw was the magazine. It's terrific, and has only improved in the last 1.5 years (I prefer the research articles, which have been in abundance since Pam G started sending her items to Mr. Splashbar to scan). I also get a feeling of community, of supporting a hobby I love and, if I ever choose to sell many chips on ebay, I believe it gives an air of integrity to post your club number (yes, there are some bad seeds who are members, but the vast majority are not). I am also excited by the idea of the Museum, and am proud to be part of an organization that would be responsible for such an endeavor. I haven't made it to the convention, and don't expect to in the next few years, but I would think that would be a huge draw to those that do.
Michael Siskin