This post is not meant to be a criticism or a confrontation, but rather an expression of concern and caring. No names will be mentioned nor discussed. I need to share my thoughts because I’m not able to "stuff" them anymore. Also, because I love collecting chips, it is an important part of my day-to-day life, and because I have genuine feeling and regard for the many friends I’ve met and those with whom I’ve exchanged countless e-mails. This won’t be my last post, but I’m pretty sure it’ll be my longest !!

As chip collectors go, I’m still somewhat of a neophyte. I began collecting chips in April of 1996, a little less than five years ago. I began my collecting by thinking it would be neat to take home a $1 chip from each of the hotels on the strip. I had a large goblet from Casino Royale which previously was home to a 99c Margarita...which I drank! This was the new home of my chip collection. Growing up in the late 1960’s, my most prized early chip was the Hard Rock $25 Jimi Hendrix. It’s still one of my personal favorites to this day.

Collecting seemed so simple at the beginning. One of my most favorite times of the week were the weekly live auctions on Prodigy. It was just a nice group of people who got together to share a common joy and passion.

As my enthusiasm and knowledge continued to grow, I found it necessary to specialize my collecting interests. Nevada obsoletes became my primary focus, and Lake Tahoe and Reno chips my favorite area. I don’t consider myself a “high-end” collector, and still find great pleasure in putting a mark in the Chip Rack to the left of the number code when I acquire a chip I need. Fortunately, I still need lots of chips, and the mark I make is the same whether the chip is a lower value (which most are) or a higher value one.

The friendships I’ve made in the hobby I cherish. Once a year, at the national convention, being able to spend time with a mentor and see others from all parts of the country, is a great joy to me. I love getting into the showroom as early as we can get in each morning. For some reason, those two hours before the show opens seem very special.

I’ve made many mistakes over the last five years...in buying, in selling, and in what I’ll call "chip ethics." I’ve paid a lot of money (for me anyway) to buy chips that the seller said were found under floor boards and which were supposed to be 30 years old. Largely do to the help of one of our finest chip detectives and the cooperation of one of the major chip manufacturers, I found out the chips were closer to 30 months old.

I’ve trusted a respected dealer who asked me to split a deal, and then found he had tried to do the deal himself.

On the "sell" side, I sold several Barney’s $2.50 Large Key chips for $90 each. Boy...I’d sure like to have them back. To you guys who got them...time to stop gloating after all this time. Anyway...I still have one left besides the one in my collection. I’m going to get more than $90 for this last one.

On the ethics side, I contacted under bidders on eBay for a period of time. Others had done the same on my auctions and initially I really didn’t give much thought to the ethics of the practice. I lost a friend as a result, and this still hurts. I’ve since decided that I won’t contact any bidder of another’s auction, unless the auction has been over for at least one month. After some length of time I think a seller’s exclusive right to contact his under bidders ends, and for me, I think a month is reasonable.

My chip-related pre go-to-work routine is a 3-step process. I’m routinely online by about 6:30 am. I always start on eBay to see what auctions are ending that day which I might want to bid on. Step #2 is to check this board, and step #3 is to check my e-mail.

Lately, things seemed to have changed in our hobby. Light, good-natured bantering and kidding have given way to choosing sides and ugly arguments. New releases and finds have become new accusations and finger pointing. Negativity has become a constant.

At present, two issues seem responsible for much of the controversy. One involves a "for-profit" business which has entered our hobby and which threatens some of our most outspoken members and is feared as a possible ruination of chip collecting. For-profit businesses and dealers are not new to our hobby. Only a few years ago the largest advertiser in what was then the largest chip-collecting magazine was someone who, to my knowledge, was not a collector. His practices were questioned by many. After a short time, he was no longer in the hobby.

It’s my belief that lists and pledges and pointing out eBay auctions is not what needs to be done. Over a period of time, the chip collecting community will decide if buying or selling from a particular business or dealer is something they want to do. Education seems to be what is called for...lists and black-balling do not. Lists build fences and fragmentation. Black-balling a previously respected individual because he view things differently than others do seems to me to be terribly unfair and very shortsighted.

We have lost many great friends over the last few years. We will lose many more. If one of these "black-balled" members is the next to pass on, how many of us would feel remorse, and want to re-think our actions. It would be too late then.

The other issue which seems to be causing great controversy is the issue of national and local club membership. I think most of us realize the great value of both our local chapter and the national organization New chapters and sub-groups are important in any growing organization. I look forward to the formation of the roulette chapter and hope to be an active member. Having opposing views on this issue is healthy. Threatening to resign one’s membership or quit a chapter office if the decision doesn’t go your way is not.

We are all members of a unique fascinating addictive hobby. There is room for many different opinions...all of which can and should be respected. As they say in many, much larger organizations..."Thanks for letting me share." Hope to see many of you in Las Vegas in May.

Terry