To put a different perspective on the questions I am asking, look at it this way:

There are lots of different collectors on this board having different collecting experiences. For example, Some of us have to have every Silver Strike ever made or to ever come out. Some people don't have to have every SS made they just want to have fun going and getting them and trading them with others. And if we are going to be painfully honest, it appears as if some of us are possibly in this hobby for the money aspect; as long as we can go to LV and get a handful of materials and sell it to someone for a good markup, I suspect we will be here but when there is no money to be made, some of us will probably be gone (I am not pointing any fingers here, I just want to let this cat out of the bag because we all see it and think it and if we are to all be friends we might as well say it).

Three different types of people, ALL LEGITIMATE, all need each other to exist in order to make this a hobby, no one is better or worse than the other but all having different experiences due to their emphasis. And I suspect all three types have a different opinion about where they would like to see this hobby go and how they think it might get there.

Is this a discussion for this board, or is it too dangerous to speak about these things yet? I personally think the sooner the better so that we can all appreciate each other and respect where the other guy is coming from and accept that there are at least three different hobbies happening under the same "roof" (if not more - three that I could think of off the top of my head).

I think each one of us has to define for ourselves where we want this hobby to go and take control of our own experience early in the game so that we don't get disappointed later on and walk away disgruntled and brokenhearted.

Is there a weekends worth of "discussion" here or is there no interest in using this board in this manner? I apologise, if I am out of step with the rest of you. I mean no harm. I just want to get to know you all better and what your individual expectations of "Silver Striking" as a hobby are for the future. Tell me if I am speaking of things in a way you don't want them spoken of.

Best Regards,
Avram