<<What do you charge someone who only buys chips, never sells chips, isn't interested in putting out the effort to go get and offer chips to other collectors (but never really has to say that to anyone's face), and therefore never puts you in a position of feeling their prices are too high, and thinks face for a chip is quite fair?>>

Good Point, larry, and here is my response.

First, the answer to your question is that I will charge him face value plus actual shipping charges. That has been my policy from day one.

Now then, one must keep in mind, that I have access to only one area of California chips and very few people collect these chips. In addition, new issues are few and far between. (this situation will change now due to the many newer Indian Casinos opening up.) but overall, not that many casino/card rooms issue chips such as does Nevada, Colorado or Atlantic City.

Secondly, I enjoy making these chip runs, especially the ones where I end up gathering chips from 50 or more casinos in California, Oregon, Washington State and Arizona, as I want the chips for myself. It does not take any special effort for me to buy 20 or 100 chips or whatever the amounts may be as it does a single chip.

And just as importantly, I enjoy getting chips for others as well. Most of the people I get chips for, I get reimbursed with traders. It has been over a year now since I made one of these long runs, but still am active in the California and Arizona market place.

Now here is the big difference between what you do and what I do. This is strictly a hobby to me. I have fun doing what I do. It is not a burden but something I look forward to doing. If I find that one is taking advantage of me and has no access to traders which I can use, then I might not include him in my future runs. And as I said previousely, California card rooms/casinos issue very few new chips.

You, on the other hand, live in a market area which issues many chips throughout the year. And unlike me who collects current chips from all over, I expect you are more of a specialists and therefore are limited as to trading partners.

The chips you have access to are much more desirable than what I have to offer. If I had as easy access to Reno chip as you do and if my collection interest were limited, then I would be doing the same as you, which is to offer a new chip service.

As I wrote to Archie in a private e-mail, I believe that the new chip service being offered by you, him and all the others are a most valuable commodity and without it, many of us (including me) would probably not be as active as we currently are. As a matter of fact, most of my chips now are acquired from the new chip services. I thank all of you for providing it. My only complaint is that I think some people charge an excessive amount, but that is just my opinion.

You may ask what is excessive. Well, it all depends on quantity. If I were to buy a single chip from a new chip service, $8.00 for a single chip would not seems way out of line. If however, I were going to buy every chip issued in a particular area, I would expect to pay no more than $7.00 per chip (including postage.)

I now have 84 request for the Hustler chips. The most ever requested for California chips. Even greater than the Chinese New years chips from Hollywood Park. I don't know just why they are so popular, but I will fulfill all the orders and at the terms I originally quoted. And if I get taken advantaged of, I will just cease accepting orders in the future. BUT, I have no intention, at least at the present, of charging over face value to collectors and to people who treat me the same.

I know I'm rambling, but I just want to make it clear to you that I think the new chips service being offered presently by everyone is a needed and welcome addition to our hobby. Just don't outprice yourselves and you should be able to supplement your income for many years to come. I presently deal with a new chip service from Las Vegas, Reno, Colorado, and Atlantic City and am quite satisfied (except for one.) Now if I can just find a Cruise ship new chip dealer, I would be in seventh heaven.