Archie, I have absolutely no problem with anyone wanting to make money from the sale of chips to collectors---especially dealers. I am fully aware of what dealers have to go through in order to service their customers. I really don't want to rehash this on-going argument if possible--but I will if necessary.

I, as a hobbyist, find I can make more money by selling at cost than by charging a few dollars extra for each chip I may sell.

SEE IF YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE CAN FOLLOW MY THINKING.

I live in an area,--Northern California--which has very few casinos or card rooms that issue new chips on a frequent basis. As a matter of fact, I believe that maybe a half dozen or so chips were newly issued last year, if that many.

Assume 6 new $5.00 chips were issued. That's $30.00 face value. Very, very few people bother to collect California chips--maybe 10 at the very most for a total of $300.00 in sales. If I sell those chips for your price of $8.00 per chip, that $3.00 profit per chip means I will make $180.00. Certainly a lot of money in anyones pocket, including mine.

But on the other side of the scale, I buy a heck of a lot more than those 60 chips (6 chips X 10 collectors) from others. Assume I only bought a total of 100 chips last year (which as one might assume is far less than the actual amount) that means I would pay, at your going rate, a $300.00 premium or $120.00 more than I made selling my chips.

Now then, if I sell my chips for face and IF my so-called generousity gets me a recipical arrangement from others, I make money. It's as simple as that. I am not a philanthropist. This is just economy 101 or maybe 201.

As a dealer and one who lives in the area where there are many casinos that issue new chips on an on-going basis, this arrangement would not work, but for all us other collectors around the country, it makes common sense if it is analyzed.

I think the next time this argument come up, I will just paste and copy this note and let it go at that.