Hmm, my other post disappeared (or I hit preview instead of post). For me, selling my share of Able Card meant I had no 'traders' for people, and since I'm not a casino-fly (yet), I ran out of things people needed. I'm too cheap to pay $3-$5 for new cards when they arrive knowing that I used to sell them to the casinos for under a dime! But I digress....

I think when P.A.C.K. folded, it was a HUGE hit to the hobby. People depending upon it for new release information, etc. Maybe MSOCK picked up the slack, but I'm not a member of that one, so I cannot say for sure. Pat Lamb was a leader in our hobby, and with the issues she's been going through, I completely understand her decision to scale back. Hopefully she will at least keep up the price guide/checklist.

Alot of comments I have seen from 'heavy-hitters' selling their collection is they wish to limit their field of interest, either within the slot card category or even within casino collectibles altogether. Some have posted publicly about this, others through private sales at the trade shows. Either way, alot of rarer stuff came on the market at discounts. This paved the way for other people to unload as well, as they didn't want to lose their investment.

Soap box - a number of casinos have done a great job in promoting the collectibility of cards (Palms/Venetian/etc.). BUT, one thing that bothers me (and others I'm sure), is that there are a handful of people on eBay (non-collectors) that seem to have an inside-track to these cards, and then list them for $7.00+ when they first come out. I know this sours ALOT of people when the thrill of the hunt is taken out because someone has an inside advantage. You don't see this in chips due to the monetary value (at least to this extent - I have heard of similar things among chips too). We all know the same person who always has Palms items, and one person who has Venetian items. I truly believe this is bad for the hobby as a whole. (end soap box)

If we reflect back to two years ago, this hobby was very different. We had weekly round-robins and shotgun swaps. People posted almost daily about new issues and new discoveries. The excitement seems to have waned, and participation is at an all-time low. How to fix this? No idea here - it's probably something that MSOCK or the Slot Card Club should discuss.

Enough of my rambling - thanks for reading... ;)