Last night I went to an unnamed Las Vegas casino to buy a $500 chip. I went late so it wouldn’t be too busy. After a walkaround, I approached the empty cashiers cage with five Benjamins prominently displayed in my hand. I was quickly told to buy chips at the table, but I said I only wanted one for a souvenir. She went to talk to a gentleman in a suit and he came to me. He:”As soon as you say it’s for a souvenir, I can’t sell it to you. Chips are for gaming only”. (THAT again). I always want collectors to look favorable to these people, so I don’t argue, but say I’m sorry and say I’ll get it at the table. At the tables, I find a wheel that appears to have some clean 500s and a pit boss watching nearby. I approach him because he’s going to be called anyway for a $500 buy. Again I say I want one 500. He: “Are you going to play?”. Me: “I just want one to keep”. He: “Buy it at the cage”. Me: “I tried, but they sent me here”. He says wait here and makes a phone call. Never had such a hard time giving away $500. When he comes back to me, he says the cage will now sell it to me. I thank him profusely and trek on back to the cage. When I tell the girl, she once again sends me to the same gentleman in the suit. He: “I told you not to say you wanted it as a souvenir!”. He’s yelling at me now. “No one can authorize this! The owner of the casino can’t authorize this. It’s against the law!”. Me: “He asked if I was going to play, and I didn’t want to lie”. With that, he says, “What is it you want, anyway?”. Me: “Just one purple chip”, as I brandish my five Benjamins. He pulls them out of my hand and disappears. I’m starting to get nervous as he comes back and puts one chip in front of me, in pretty good condition for a chip that’s been on the tables for years. Again, trying to get good will for collectors, I say “Thank you very much, Partner”, but I left a little shaken. Sheesh! Comments?