Well... let me throw this out into the fray. I started collecting chips in 1999. A year or two before that, I was in a coin shop in Las Vegas (Sahara Coin maybe?) and noticed that the dealer had some casino chips in addition to coins.

In telling me some interesting stories, he also mentioned that he had just paid $10,000 (I think that was the gross figure) to watch someone destroy a large number of chips from a recently closed casino "to help the hobby". I asked which casino, but he wouldn't tell me. I remember thinking it was probably the Sands because that was the one I was familiar with and the timing seemed about right.

Anyhow, to get to my question/rant. That sentiment almost made me choke. To me, I'd love to have one of every chip the Sands ever produced, regardless if 10 million other collectors did too. Yes, I like having chips that not many others have, but that's not the end all for me.

What does everyone else think? Was the wanton destruction of chips "good" for the hobby? I think not so good for the hobby as good for the guy who hoards the only others remaining.

Bryan