it is what led me to this board and becoming a chip collector:

I had just been to Las Vegas with a bunch of family members and someone bought a bunch of chip holding keychains and we all picked a current chip and put them in. I wanted to get one from the casino I had first stayed in as an adult, Vegas World, because of the great memories, so I held off and started searching the internet for one. Then, I thought, I should get two more for my best friends, who were with me when we went to Vegas World together. The chip in the picture is a much nicer chip than the three I bought for the keychains. I knew enough to get beat up chips, so they wouldn't be ruined by the keychain and wear in the pocket. I still have that keychain and use it for my keys to my wife's car. The chip is pretty worn now.

I bought my first from Monte Schuff. Then, I found the board and Charles Kaplan's site. He was really nice, sold me a chip at a good price and even sent me an old issue of the club magazine (my wife tossed it long ago). Soon after, I got my third on ebay from lucky2boat. I got another and kept the nicest one. The other three went in the keychains. I have no idea what my friends did with theirs. I haven't seen them since.

My first chips I kept as souvenirs of a great craps run:

My friend and I had spent a day and a half losing our whole gambling stakes when we hit a decent run at the Claridge (I decided to keep a chip for a picture so I knew where the money came from). At the Sands, right after, a woman rolled for over an hour. Not only did we win our money back, but I was up more than 150% of my original stake. So, I decided to keep a chip from each crap table as a souvenir. I also saved a few other chip, including a chip from the Horseshoe with an enormous gouge on one side (I didn't even notice it, let alone care). I found the chips again after I found this board.

Nice idea for a thread, Mike!

Michael Siskin