David,

The answer is quite simply, BOTH. Most collectors DO play for the tokens, some will watch others play and offer to buy them. Some will stand near the cashier's cage and wait for people to bring them back then buy them.

I can agree that when I play it seems as though the price of the tokens are much more than face value. However, I still get reports of some players winning as many as seven on a roll of quarters. So I guess, it really depends on when you hit a particular machine, it will either be HOT or COLD.

I know Jisa Jung as a dealer also plays the machines to get them.

Prices for current's seem to be on an upward trend, especially for dealers, as they are having to pay a little more than face for the current ones since most winners paid more than face to win them and won't give them up as cheaply as they used to. Remember, they are always worth FACE VALUE, since you take them back and redeem them, except the discontinued one and those from Closed casino's.