Jim,

You are looking at one aspect of being obsolete, redemption. That is if you cannot redeem the coin (or chip) at face value from the organization that issued it, then it is obsolete.

I look at obsolete from the acquisition point of view, if I can no longer get the coin (or chip) from the issuer at face value, then it is obsolete. Another way to state my definition of obsolete is that if the only way you get the item is from a 2nd party (dealer) for a premium, then it is obsolete.