... after all. Text of his message follows (further comments by me below the message):

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>>Jim Reilly wrote:

>> Hi Tom ----- What is the deal with these chips? Word among serious collectors is that there is no "Redwood Lodge" and that you bought these chips from Paul-son as fantasy chips.

> A cursory view of the auction description says clearly that the lodge isn't
open yet and it won't be until this fall.

> It looks like we got some bad advise from a salesman at Paul-Son. Not
knowing the difference between the retail store and the factory, we went into the retail store. The salesman there said we could save some money and time by using a stock logo with our name imprinted on it. We chose the least offensive logo, which is the one associated with one of their fantasy chips, "Viva Las Vegas."

> As I said, this turned out to be bad advise. We also took the advise of
friends who said that we should offer a set number of the chips to collectors. So we put up one of each denomination on eBay. Within 48 hours we received one bid on one chip for one dollar, and twenty e-mails accusing us of everything from stupidity to fraud. To the stupidity charge we plead guilty.

> We ended the auction early and notified the three bidders that had accumulated in three days (the high bid was $2.50) that we were withdrawing the chips on
the advise of the V.P. of Sales for Paul-Son. We will be having them re-done
correctly with a fully-customized inlay. We will not be offering them to collectors when they are completed. If anyone wants one, they will have to buy them off the table like everyone else. The rudeness and vitriol exhibited by the collectors through their vicious e-mail has convinced us that this is one group with which we do not want to have any dealings whatsoever.

>> Can you confirm for me the exact location of the planned cardroom and the
local jurisdiction which is considering the license (City of Santa Rosa or
County of Sonoma?). Can you provide the name of the governmental agent you
are dealing with so I can confirm the status of the license application?

> The Redwood Lodge is a nonprofit fraternal organization whose mission has
nothing to do with gambling. As a nonprofit fraternal organization (such as the Moose or Elks lodges), we are exempt from California law requiring licensing to operate a cardroom (but are severely restricted in what we can and cannot do, and when and how much we can do it). When we are ready to announce the location and opening date of the cardroom, such announcement will appear in CARD PLAYER magazine and on our web site.

> Bottom line is that the chips have been withdrawn from circulation before
any were circulated, and there are no plans to offer chips again on eBay or anywhere else, except to members of the lodge at the tables.

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I attempted to locate an organization called The Redwood Lodge in Sonoma County without success (doesn't necessarily prove that the church doesn't have such an organization, or plan to start one).

Any news from Paul-son about whether new chips were ordered? ----- jim o\-S