Hayden,

YOU really haven’t stumbled upon a vast conspiracy but a splinter group of the Illuminati. It is natural to feel some disconnect when entering into a community that has members with wildly differing levels of experience. I get some of your frustration, but YOU are way off base with who YOU are blaming.

The Chip Rack is by far the most comprehensive collection of information available of Nevada chips. It is not intended to be, nor capable of being a pinpoint accurate indication of what YOU and others will pay for an item. By definition, any item’s value is dependent on so many variables, there could never be a price guide or catalog with the statistical accuracy that YOU seem to be searching for. There is a huge difference between a price guide and a price list. A price guide gives you an idea of past market results, a price list tells YOU how much something will cost to buy it. Ultimately the decision to buy is based on one factor..YOU! Think something is too expensive? Don’t buy it. See something that someone is selling at a discount because they need some quick cash? Congrats, you got a bargain. The only thing that will allow YOU to make a more informed decision when deciding to buy is…..knowledge, and when it comes to Nevada Chip issues, there is no better resource The Chip Guide. Don’t blame the authors of a reference book if YOU made a purchase with which YOU are not happy. Don’t blame the members of the collecting community for not making your collecting experience the best possible. It is incumbent upon YOU to invest the time and effort to learn as much as YOU feel is necessary to make a proper purchase.

Here are some lessons that I (and others, I am sure!) had to learn myself;

1) It is called collecting! Not investing, you invest in stocks and bonds, you collect things that most likely will net you no profit. Don’t enter a hobby to make money, you do it because it is something you enjoy doing when you are not busy making money. If you do manage to turn a profit over the years…BONUS!

2) No level of knowledge is perfect. The facts and situations change and quickly. So, you bought a chip that was selling for $800 for $300? That is great until someone cleans out their attic and finds 2,000 more of them. Now the chip you paid $300 is selling for $5 on eBay. Bummer, rub some dirt on the injury and walk it off, it happens.

3) A price guide, an auction catalog, and any other reference source is just that, a source for reference. They should never be taken as an absolute in terms of applying a market value or price. Remember the words “Worth,” “Value” and “Price” are vastly different. Learn to decide where they intersect and then make the purchase.

4) The joy of collecting is often found in the thrill of the hunt. Research and patience will insure that you nab that prized item at a price that you are happy with.

5) The collecting community is largely made up of people that are fair, honest and very generous. Like any population, you will find a few folks that would be best served with a slap upside the head. However, for every less than honorable member, I would bet there are 100 who would gladly share any information they may have, you just got to ask. There are people on here who have not only invested countless hours but have years and years of experience in the hobby. They people are the true wealth of this hobby. I shudder to think how much information will be lost if the hobby continues without growth and this information fails to get passed on to the next generation.

If you do enjoy collecting chips, I would implore you to stick with it. One thing I found helpful is to periodically place a self-imposed moratorium on any chip purchases for 90 days. During those 90 days, just explore the vast information available and chat up other members on the board. You will learn so much and it will start to snowball to the point where you are more comfortable making informed decisions. I can attest the need for instant gratification in getting a chip I covet can and has led to paying some stupid/silly amounts for chips worth a fraction of what I paid. Only through these mistakes and continuing to educate myself though experience can I continue to enjoy the hobby. Ultimately, unless someone held a gun to your head and screamed “BUY THAT CHIP, NOW!”, you really have nowhere to point the blame than at yourself.

If I could give one tip to improve your experience right now, I would say avert your focus from the expensive rarities and set out to complete a collection that is comprised of low priced common chips. It doesn’t have to be fancy…say “All $1 Chips from Las Vegas Casinos that were released between 2000 and 2010 .” It may not be glamorous or really brag worthy but it will allow you to pursue the hunt with a number of readily available chips that you can compare and contrast to help with the buying process. Along the way, I guarantee you will learn so much information about other chips, that you next collection can be more adventurous. However, if you go from knowing little-to-nothing to buying only those chips that are valued coded in TCR at Q or higher…..you are going to get burned worse that a red-head at the beach. I am not trying to be harsh, just honest. Best of luck with whatever you decide.