Hiya Terry, welcome! Lots of folks collect $1 chips but yes, you might want not want to get a lot of $5's. Unless of course, you like to trade for $5's. Fractionals are easy to trade. Probably just one or two chips of each, most trades are just single chips. Cards are free, just invest the time and get as many as you want, I have always been able to trade them for chips. I like to play for my chips like the ones below. I just play untill I win what I want or if I don't come out ahead, I just rationalize it as the investment I was going to make in the game and hobby anyway. Keep tabs here at the board for shows in your area where you may be able to work trades. Join CCGTCC and find the nearest local chapter for trading at the meetings. Best of all, come to the convention in Las Vegas next June and trade your brains out! The best part of the trading isn't the chips anyway, it's the folks you meet.