Brian:
People collect what they want to collect but as a new issue service provider, I (as do all the other new issue providers) feel a tremendous obligation to provide the chips that our customers order. When we can't get the required number, we are the ones that have to tell our customers "sorry but you don't get any" or " I can only let you have one when you ordered two". I guess what I'm really trying to say is that customer service is more important to us than the buck. New issue providers set the price of a chip prior to release be it $2 or $3 over face. If the chip turns out to be a winner such as the Riv Porn chips, we kept our price at the originally stated fee and watched the chips sell for $300 plus. So, when we can't get the number of chips we want, we are more disappointed than our customers.

This commentary is in no way intended to "knock" dealers. They buy chips on speculation and hope they sell out with having a hugh inventory left over. If they pick up some winners and can sell them at a large profit, great. It helps pay for the inventory they have been sitting on for years.