We are almost there Andy, I think you are going to to see my point soon.

The essence of your objection, is that someone who is new to the hobby, may rely upon the "Slabbing Companies" grade when in fact that grade might not be an accurate reflection of the grade of the chip.

I agree that it is important that new collectors be able to get accurate information about chips. So lets say that there is no slabbing service. The slabbing of a chip doesn't set a price just a grade. So our collector must already have some idea of the value-range of the chip he just doesn't know where to put it in the range.

The new collector wants to purchase a chip, but he has no idea how much is a fair price because he doesn't know where in the price range this chip falls. So without a slabbing company, what does he rely on? The Seller? another collector?

The grade assigned by another collector may be just as inaccurate as that of a slabbing company. Sellers have been know to engage in puffery.

I would suggest that the need that has to be filled here is that we must be able to put the new collector in a position to grade chips on his own.

One way to fulfill this need is to create a uniform grading system which is simple and intuitive. It means nothing tome to tell me that a chip is MS65. But if you tellme that the chip has no chips or nicks and the hot stamp is strong and clear you have told me impoprtant information, which even a new collector can understand.

You accomplish nothing if you prevent slabbing but don't fulfill the need of a new collector to be able to determine grade.

If you want to prevent slabbing from becoming accepted and still help the new collector, perhaps a simple understandable grading system needs to be developed and it must be made easily accessible to the new collector.

sinking in yet?