I think you will find it very difficult to formulate a rule that bans what you call 'slabbed' collectibles and allows other items to be sold in plastic cases (like silver premium tokens). I suggest you back out of this one, Jim.

Regardless of what GeneT and a couple of others say, encapsulated coins, tokens, and chips are not intrinsically evil. I'm not sure at this point that they will provide a benefit to collectors of casino items, but sure wouldn't want to rule them out because some coin collectors are opposed to the concept. If grading services are introduced and collectors buy the service, it will be because they want it.

Let's not forget that encapsulation of coins is a cost saving matter for collectors. If they wish, they can get their coin graded, returned in a plastic case, and then remove the coin so they can handle it or store it more compactly. Most collectors don't, because there is value in having it sealed, and associated with a certificate of grade from an acknowledged grading organization. If they remove the coin from the case, and later want to sell it, they would have to pay again to have a certificate issued if they want the benefit of an independent grade on the coin. Thus most keep the coin in the case... but nothing other than the desire to save a few dollars forces them to do so.

By the way I do have coins that I have had graded and encapsulated. They went up in price in the 80's and came back down. I don't blame the grading services for the market fluctuations. They are a result of the free market working, and of speculators attempting to make money from the hobby. It would have happened with or without the grading services. Prices will fluctuate on chips as well, no matter what we do. Look at the 'Atlantic City bubble' a few years ago <g>.