Hi Don,

I think there's a BIG difference between cleaning a chip (which I do, and do approve of) and removing a hotstamp cancellation. Given the recent incident where someone was allegedly arrested for trying to cash in obsolete chips at a casino with the hotstamp removed, we have a problem.

The chip I bought with the hotstamp removed is a $100 Monte Carlo Reno. It had a $200 price written on the holder, was told that I could ONLY buy it for $150 if I would trade a $2.50 chip from the same casino (breaking up a set that I had) for a different $25 chip from the same place. If I didn't make a bad buy on this chip, I'll sell it to the first person that sends me face value for the chip, I'll eat the $50 lesson and the buyer gets a good deal!

Cancelled chips show up at the manufacturer's stores all the time. I have no way of knowing if these chips are or were available at the manufacturer AFTER cancellation. ...or any other source (see the Dunes or Sahara sets out there now)