Hi all.

I a got a bunch of requests about chips from Russia. Let I tell a little bit more.

First of all, I'm not a collectioner. I'm professional player. So I'm not interested in buying or exchange of chips from other countries. That's just only one more way to make money for myself.

Second, that's my first experience in selling chips. I don't know well enough how much some chip can cost. Any suggestions will be hughly appreciated.

Third. I live in Russia. So I see some possible problems with money transfers. PayPal, for example, do not work with Russia. So I see the following ways: Western Union company (quite costly) or bank transfer. Bank transfer is possible but it takes quite a long time. What do you all think about it? Maybe there are other ways?

Fourth. Unfortunately I've not prepared well to aswer all you questions. For example, I do not have scans of the chips. Do you really need it?

Fifth. All Russian chips fall into two categories - US dollars chips or Russian Roubles chips. USD is widely accepted currency here so MOST casinos have USD chips. Common denominations are $1, $2.5, $5, $25, $100, $500. There are casinos (almost all) which have "lucky chips" too (common denominations are $5 or $10 but usually there are no value printed on them). Most casinos also have plaques for amounts from $100 and bigger.

Those chips which are denominated in Roubles common denominations are R5, R10, R25, R50, R100, R500, R1000, R5000, R10000. Current exchange rate is about 1USD=R30.

One interesting thing. There are casinos outside Moscow which still use "old" denominations. That is in 1992 our currency was denominated by the goverment due to inflation. "New roubles" was introduced. One new rouble equaled to 1000 old roubles. So some small casinos STILL use "old roubles" chips. If on the chip is printed R5000 for example, it means that value of this chip is actually only R5 in modern roubles.

Second interesting thing. Casinos here have some problems with selling chips for the foreign currency (USD). So some of them have chips with denominations $50, for example, but it's actual value is R50.

Quite strange picture, huh? :-))

As you can see I have free access to the all currently circulated chips in Moscow with no problems. Other cities can be obtained at request.

Now I'll try to describe a couple of chips by the words. I think that chips are for the most interest of American people :-))

Casino Marilyn have chips $1, $2.5, $5, $25 etc. On the chips $5 and greater full-color picture (not photo) of Marilyn Monroe is printed.

Casino Beverly Hills have roubles chips from R5 with the picture of Chuck Norris (partial owner of the casino).

That's all. I will not answer to any of personal emails to me, sorry. It'll take too much time and efforts. I'm trying to be polite but it's above my possibilities. Sorry one more time.

Any comments, suggestions and advices would be highly appreciated. Write on email or here on the board.

Luck.

Garry Baldy.

P.S. Pardon my poor English :-))