I am sure you still, probably, disagree with me but guess I am just not as extreme on the issue of slabbers selling at shows. I personnally feel that in a free society there is nothing that can be done to really close them out. I do, though, want people here to stay focused on this issue and do whatever we can do to minimize the demand. These people are, as has been said, in it as a business, for greed and money. If they can be taught that there is no easy gain here then they will not have the motivation to continue. Greed and Money does not motivate someone to continue in a venture where they can't make their expected profits. Consider all the expenses some of these people have to put forth to have their products displayed or auctioned. Ad to that the commissions thay might pay on actual losses and their waisted time and the luster of that fancy little plastic capsule and the hologram and lables fades quick. I just believe that we are in a position now where as the consumers we can repel them. If we turn our backs and remove our presence from the auction or shows then some people may start to buy the slabs and then the war will be more difficult. Concerned chippers need to keep the debate and education alive. To do that we need to have a presence where collectors are looking and buying. If, as you said in you post, does happen it will only take a few sellers to loose money on their slabs and the message will be carved in stone.

I hope I am not wrong on this issue but if what I read here is any indication I believe there is an overwhelming opposition to slabbing which will eventually repel these people. I was not there for the convention. I did hear though that there was an embarassing lack of attention at the slabbers tables. Maybe many people are worrying about something that is eradicating itself.

"The slabber would still have to pay both the seller's and winning bidder's commissions."

In the situation that you describe, the chip would not actually be sold since the dealer bought it from himself and while he is not really loosing or gaining money there, you say he still has to pay the clubs commission. That could be punnisment to the slabber too then. Should he have the embarassment that no one wants to bid on his chip and one person dives on an opportunity than as you say the slabber may be forced to cast a bid to outbid a low buyer and save himself from loosing money. Actually though he did loose money in that he has to pay CC>CC. I personally would have less of a problem if the commission was straight out of the slabbers pocket then if it was in conjunction with the slabber making money. As I see it the slabber would get a double whammy. In my opinion, it would be poetic if the club actually benefited on a slabbers loss. Either way, the point would be publicly made that slabbing does not enhance the value of casino chips enough to make it worthwhile and cost effective. The seller would loose on their cost of slabbing, he would loose on the fact that he did not make anything and he would loose on the fact that he might have to pay a commission on an item that did not actually sell.