Today I received a surprise in the mail. In a package along with a new $1.00 chip from the Rampart Casino was a $1.00 Opera House 71 Years of Gaming chip. Total cost I was billed for the two chips was $5.00 ($2.50 for each chip), which included both chips plus all shipping and handling charges. Now, as many of you know, I tend to stay out of most debates, arguements, fights, etc. that often breakout on this board. I read every message posted every day but I tend to keep my feelings less public than others. I collect only $1.00 chips and the person who sent me the chips certainly does not make very much money from my business, not much mark up on current $1.00 chips. While reading the past information concerning this chip I decided that I would make no effort to obtain this chip. I would not bid on it through auction sites or try to find one available through web sites. I was disappointed in the way they were distributed and I just excepted the fact that it was one $1.00 chip that I would never own. I can now tell you that it is one of my very favorite chips in my collection of over 2500 chips. It is not because of the limited issue, the nice design, or the value of the chip that makes it a favorite. It is because everytime that I see that chip I will remember that it was sent to me by a fellow collector who could have asked for a huge mark up or not even bothered to send it at all and just put it up for bid on Ebay and made much more than the $2.50 he charges for all current releases. It certainly reminded me of the old days when there were only a few hundred of us crazy collectors around. This post is not an advertisement for this individual it is just a reminder of something that is still right with this hobby.