Al,

Though I don't collect Hard Rock chips (I occasionally buy one but not many) your post seems to address the issue as though most of us are dealers.

I agree that dealers and speculators who purchased these chips at face or slightly above who are now upset because they can't sell them for high prices have no basis to complain.

But most people here are collectors not dealers or speculators. I have never made any money by selling a chip. Any chip I have sold has been sold for my cost OR LESS. I do not speculate on chips because I do not consider this a financial investment.

Those collectors who paid a premium for these chips based upon the representation that it was a limited edition, have a legitmate gripe. Admittedly their was no indication what the limit was but purchasers certainly could reasonably believe that the limit was the current production numbers. After all . . . All chips are produced in limited quantities.

The comparison to stock is invalid. In the case of the Hard Rock Rock chip we are talking about an intentional increase in the QUANTITY of the chip. In the stock example we are talking about the unintentional drop in the MARKET PRICE of the stock. One is completely within the control of the issuing party the other is not.

While you may say that "Casinos don't issue chips to serve collectors" we in fact know that this is not true. The Hard Rock actively markets these chips solely as collector items. These chips are not designed for casino use they are designed solely to be sold as collectibles. And it is because of that marketing strategy that the Hard Rock receives these complaints. I don't think I heard a single complaint about Mandalay Bay issuing Chinese New Year chips exclusively to their Asian High Rollers yet we all heard the Complaints about the Sammy $25.

What is the difference?
Mandalay Bay has not been promoting its LE chips the way HRH does.