....anyone else who might think chip collectors need grading services.

What our hobby is about is, people. As a group, we're more like a family than a club. You don't have to be born into this family, you just have to join. If you have a question about ANY chip, just ask someone in our family. We will tell you what is what without charging you for the information. Please click on the links below to see some of the people in our family.

Mel Jung and Dean Porter. ....Mel has been collecting chips since they were being carved out of bones. Dean has every Colorado chip ever made, as well as almost every brasscore chip made, and the molds that were used to make them.
http://pages.prodigy.net/nitrobobo/meldean.jpg

Jim Reilly. The very vocal lawyer/presidential candidate from Northern California. You won't find a better mouth piece than this guy! (no offense Travis or Peter) That's Steve Soden is sitting in the backround.
http://pages.prodigy.net/nitrobobo/jimr.jpg

Jim Kruse. ....now this guy can talk! He's our club auctioneer, Kansas City casino icecream shop owner, former casino executive, and current promoter of a future project that would give our club a permanent home in the form of a building dedicated to chip collecting. ....he saw me put my raffle tickets in the box that his hand is lodged in. I think he kept pulling my winning tickets, and threw them back because Rene was standing behind him! <G>
http://pages.prodigy.net/nitrobobo/jimk.jpg

Archie and Brenda Black. This was the first chip show that I've seen Archie and Brenda attend that wasn't the national convention. It was great to see them there! When I first saw Archie Saturday, I walked up and gave him a hug. ...the guy kissed me on the neck! NO, I didn't get excited! <G> Archie is THE Atlantic City casino expert, and also knows quite a bit about Puerto Rican casinos too. Andy Hughes is in the foreground. He's also one of the most upfront and honest guys you could ever meet.
http://pages.prodigy.net/nitrobobo/archbren.jpg

Doug Saito. Archie sometimes calls himself "Mr. Chips", but if I was gonna place that label on anyone, it would be Doug. Doug and Mel are in the same boat, been collecting casino stuff forever. ....and they are often mistaken for each other. <G>
http://pages.prodigy.net/nitrobobo/doug.jpg

Walt Gonski. Walt is one of my favorite people in this hobby. He says it like it is, always has something that I need for my collection, even if I didn't know I needed it! <G>
http://pages.prodigy.net/nitrobobo/waltg.jpg

Ralph Meyers and Tyrus Mulkey. Both work on the Strip in Vegas. Both are true chip hounds, both have their fingers on the pulse of what's new in Vegas. Both are the kind of folks that you'd want to bring home with you to meet the rest of the family, tho' Ralph tries to act tough on occasion. <G>
http://pages.prodigy.net/nitrobobo/tyralph.jpg

Gene Trimble. In charge of the limited edition chip programs at the Four Queens before moving on to the Fiesta. An "oldtimer" from the illegal casinos in the Kentucky/Ohio areas. A collector of records from chip manufacturers 50 years and longer in the past. If you want to find a guy who is passionate about this hobby, and goes the extra mile for all of the info, that's Gene! ....and this weekend was the first time I've ever seen him without a tie! :-)
http://pages.prodigy.net/nitrobobo/gene.jpg

Jim Munding. Another guy who always has something that I want for my collection that I didn't know I wanted before seeing it! <G> He runs the Casinorama shows in Southern California twice a year, has already committed to chip shows through 2002. That's as rock-steady as you'll find in this hobby, especially considering our own national convention has jumped between several casinos in the last few years.
http://pages.prodigy.net/nitrobobo/jimm.jpg

Don Lueders. ....one of these days I'm going to act upon my threat to hitch a wagon to his rolling suitcase at a chip show. He finds variations and varieties of chips that no one ever noticed before, and often finds these chips at dealer tables that even the sellers didn't notice!
http://pages.prodigy.net/nitrobobo/donl.jpg

Nate Pincus and David Sarles. ....in this photo, it looks like Nate is getting ready to give David some kind of karate chop! .....or maybe a karate chip. <G> Both men have devoted countless hours/years to this hobby.
http://pages.prodigy.net/nitrobobo/natedave.jpg

I didn't get photos of everyone that I saw this weekend, and I hope no one feels left out, because you are ALL just as important to this hobby, and you are ALL part of MY family! Especially you Chuck!

I just got home from Vegas, am beginning to think that a plane leaving on time went the way of Studebaker, its a thing of the past. ....at least on this trip, United bought me dinner and gave me $100 worth of vouchers for the next trip...

.....sleepy regards, Bob O!