"Who in their right mind would pay a $10-$20 slabbing fee for a current 1 - 2.50 5 or $25 house chip?"

Robert: What reasonable person would have thought that baseball card collectors a few years ago would not have taken the same position you are suggesting?

Here's a prime example, right in your own back yard, for you to consume. Try finding a nice condition $25 Taj Mahal house chip today off the tables. Then add a $10-$20 grading/slabbing chage and presto, we've now got a $60 slabbed chip for sale instead of $30 - $35 from a reputable chip dealer for the same thing.

Sure, you can say that you won't purchase the slabbed chip... that you'll buy it "raw" from the reputable dealer, but the fact is there are folks who will buy the slab. Then the reputable dealer may get a little bit greedy after seeing folks consumed with the slab-craze, buy these things and think, "why should I sell my chip for $30-$35 when with a $10 investment, I can get $60 for it?

Do you think that scenario is good in the long run for the hobby? I certainly don't think so.

Now are we clear of what the potential problem is? Hope that you have voted...