To all chippers. I must get this off my chest and express an opinion of a relative novice who enjoys collecting chips purely for the esthetic beauty and self-satisfaction. I have no intention of "making a few bucks" from anyone and even so far as to warn anyone that attempts to buy any of my chips, that the price I am asking is highly inflated and he would be better off just trading.

Yesterday, I attended my first chip show at Hollywood Park. Contrary to many opinions that I've seen posted, I came away quite intimidated. Although it was a small show, the persons attending had a hugh amount of trading and sale chips available. It appeared, at least on the surface, that they had every single chip ever issued from everywhere.

Each one had prices attributed to a chip of up to $8.00 for a current local chip although most were try to get around $4.00 each. I'm talking about local chips, not the "obsolete rare" chips from out-of-the-way-places or closed casinos. I saw prices for Hollywood Park $1.00 chips being offerd for $4.00 which I could go downstairs to the cage and get for face value.

The intimating part which I was talking about was that I was :

1. Afraid to offer a trade for fear of being rejected just on the basis that they already had the chip. and
2. The value I put on my chips is the value I either paid for it or traded for which is face value.

This, of course is not only limited to shows, I see some prices attached to some chips being offered for sale on the net that I know the offeror will trade for less, but how does one know what to ask. For instance, a person is asking $15.00 for a certain $1.00 chip. I'm even ashamed on the net to ask for a reasonable trade for fear of being laughed at.

I reminds me of the awful fealing one has when one tries to buy a car. or if one is visiting some foreign countries. I personally don't like to haggle. My experience in the past with traders has been all positive. But the show was just too much for me.

I would appreciate some feedback on this expression of opinion, especially by others new to the hobby. Is my opinion justified or should I reevaluate my stance?

Scott Hartman, you are the only one who might know who I am due to the fact that I had my wife and two Yorkies at the show and your wife, Estelle, was so sweet and polite to my wife. She is a gem, and although our converstion was short I also enjoyed meeting you as you seem to be the same sort of person.