I agree with Barry that if you can buy decent condition chips or tokens at the casino that is the best way to build a collection. Some cashiers are friendly and informative, some are not. As far as coin shops go they certainly look down on chip collecting and likley have sliver strikes purely for the silver content or just making a sale, not because there interested in the hobby. However in 1997 I found a rarer CO $5 chip (101 Main Street) for $15 bucks so it is worth it to frequent coin stores. Good Luck, Eric