When I first started it was with Las Vegas and Reno chips, but when I saw what all was involved [$$$] in assembling a complete run (Roulettes and low-denoms) from most of the major casinos, I figured to try something else -- a different approach; a method that would afford me (being able to strive for rarity in most collecting area at very little cost) lots of what I could asseble easilly without many $$$... I wen't to work at it; there were many long hours of writing hand-written letters and one-liner tabloid ads that cost virtually nothing than my outgoing postage and the few pennies for the ads (some ads did cost a little more but there were tons of them).. and when I saw I was able to make a connection with whomever opened and read my letters/ads... I pushed on even longer -- years longer... and when I was congratulated by those who were collecting for 20 or more years before I came along, it not only encouraged me to continue to strive for the cream de la cream but to now be able and even trade rare-for-rare with those who had what I did not and needed what I had in order to balance a worthwhile trade... It worked well. It took several years, but those years would have passed no matter what I decided to do with them.

Yes, we have a fine and wonderful hobby with lots of fine and wonderful people -- all of whom are so able and willing to intermingle at so very little cost.

Everyone here (who I sold to/traded with) knows the low-levels at which I buy and the gamble I take in doing so, but it's their congratulations, too, that keeps me pushing on as a low-roller with expensive taste... and none of what I do (have done) is a secret as I've made many suggestions here thru the years as to how it's still possible to treasure hunt the world over, inexpensively... This is NOT a rich man's hobby in any shape or form -- it's an artistic man's hobby