It was formed as an exonumia(sp?--it ain't in my spell-checker)(items that are used as money, but aren't gov't issued cash) ANA member club.

"Who's brainchild was it?"

Probably Archie Black's HLM-001

"How did the Chipboard come to be?"

Greg Susong was an active member of the Prodigy collector's forum that was devoted to casino chips. This was back in the day when much of the internet consisted of firewalled message boards instead of the WWW. When Prodigy shut down their message boards, Greg created this website to provide us a place to go.

"What years did all this take place?"

Donno about the actual beginning of the club, but the birth of this website occurred in 1998.

"Did you think it would grow to be what it is today?"

Yes and no. No, because it is very much a niche collectors' hobby. Yes, because of the amazing friendships that can and do develop in a short period of time when one finds the hobby. The hobby has changed my life in that it affects what I do with my discretionary time and money. I go to places that I wouldn't otherwise have gone, just to be around the people that I've met since I found out that I wasn't the only person who had a sock drawer with casino chips in it that I took home as souvenirs.