"My point is that, in the limited time I have been involved in chipping, I have seen a dangerous and unwaranted surge in the number of LE's being produced."

I think the number of LE's being issued has actually decreased over the last four or five years, and the number of chips per issue has been reduced in quite a few cases.

The guys running the LE chip programs have been paying attention to the hobby. For the most part, they aren't over-saturating the market. Many if not most are only issuing chips that have a cross-hobby collectible appeal in that there is more than one reason to walk out of the casino with the chip instead of cashing it. Instead of issuing chips in limited numbers just to issue chips, they are issuing chips that actually tie into and event or special occasion, creating more reasons for people to want them.

An LE chip isn't too much unlike a stamp in that it is still worth at least face value if it hasn't been canceled (a redemption notice, actual physical cancellation or casino closure in the case of chips, postmarked in the case of stamps).

Bob