Hi Travis,
Excuse me for butting into your post to Rene. However, you have touched upon a very sensitive area to me. The area involves the listing of California chips in TCR as though they are Nevada.

If you had read my review of the new TCR you would recall I mentioned that many of such listings had been corrected. However, some still remain. The 5 cent Esquire Club, small crown, from Fallon, Nevada is one of them that has not been corrected.

As you probably are aware - T.R.King will provide, at a charge, information pertaining to ALL chips that have been manufactured by them. In many cases, the information is accurate as to who ordered the chip, where it was sent, etc.

The individuals who develop information for specific books such as Larry Eastman's California guide checked very carefully the large and small crown mold chips to ensure his information was correct(pertaining to being a California chip).

I am sure TCR authors wanted to also be as accurate as possible. However, sometimes mistakes are made because we are all human. In the past two years of collecting I have made it one of my main goals to try to prevent Nevada collectors from purchasing California chips as Nevada. This has not been an easy task.

If you have followed this thread I am sure you realize just how difficult it is. No one wants to feel they have been had. Especially when someone pays $175.00 and up for a chip.

It appears to me that the burden of proof should be on the seller of these chips. However, such is not the case. A seller merely quotes TCR as his/her authority thereby shifting the burden of proof to the individual who claims such is not correct. Travis it has/is not been easy trying to educate and inform collectors of these type of pitfalls in our wonderful hobby.

Sometimes I can do it without hurting anyones feelings. Other times it is just impossible when the seller refuses to recognise any proof other than TCR. TCR is a great reference book, but it is not always correct and neither am I.

I will continue to alert collectors of California chips being passed off as Nevada everytime I am sure of my sources and the information obtained. Too do something other goes against everything I believe and stand for.

I would have thought listing Doug's six chips for sale at $50.00 each would have put an end to this thread. Nope - it just keeps going and going and going.
Perhaps now it may end. Best, Jim