I agree. I think the high silver price is death to the hobby. It is getting too expensive to collect the old stuff, and the new stuff is worthless except red caps, or to turn in for $300s. $300s are limited, so less than 200 people will play for clads to turn them in. The die hards will still collect as long as they can, but anyone scouring the country for strikes right now is doing so to melt them, not collect them. The clads are still novelty items and tourists will keep them, and they will probably be in casinos as long as they make the casinos money, but I don't see them spurring new enrollment into the club and bringing in a new generation of collectors.

I do agree with Kirk too in that I've made some great friends, that will be friends for life, so no matter what happens, that cannot be taken away.

Dave.
SS-1232