I started collecting by going to Atlantic City with some of my older friends. I didn’t gamble so I walked the boardwalk and stopped in each casino to get $1 $2.50 and a $5 then left. I liked the way they looked. Later I would take a $20 bill and go to the craps table and play $20 pocketing a $1 and a $5 and if I hit something my chips were free if not I lost $14. I wasn’t even old enough to be in there but I was my size at 13 but much skinnier. Lol

Next I saw those Teddy Savolus commercials about being a VIP at casinos and getting rooms and stuff at deep discounts so for the $20-$40? It cost to join I joined. Book a trip to Vegas World in the early 80s with a friend of mine. You got so much stuff to show up and with the room it might have cost about $20 a day… We got there and with bags in hand did all the free play stuff they gave us and went to the room. Once we saw the room we quickly left! Lol they were gross. No way would we even lie on the bed. It was disgusting from what I remember… So we started walking up the strip doing my $20 Craps table trick to get more chips and ended up at Aladdin. We got a room there, dropped the bags off in the room and I was off to more casinos so I could get more chips…. I had a huge bag of chips by the time we left. I also had my first home poker set. I went to a place downtown that made me some hot stamp chips…. (Maybe Paulson?) don’t remember. They were hat and Cane chips… I wish I still had one of those RLP chips.

I had this gumball machine at home I put all my chips in. It looked cool and I liked the sound they made when you hold them and clink them around…

Since I was a VIP card holder I took my grandfather to Atlantic City every couple months. He had all these systems to get rich quick that never worked. Lol that’s another story! But remember those trips. They were a lot of fun. I’m still not old enough to be in the Casinos during these trips… Most were only day trips but a few overnight stays… Then I found the “So you want to be a Gambler” videos John Patrick I think? I ordered those and my gambling career started… I was a low roller and used his money management strategies… They worked well. I could go with a few 20s and play all day. Never got rich but got to play cheap. Roulette and craps were my games at this time…

Next on my 2nd marriage many years later my wife had a computer and I found out you could buy Casino Chips online!!! I started looking up my chips I have picked up over the years (I had the $1 Silver Slipper Bicentennial from one of my Vegas trips!) That was selling for a $100! I couldn’t believe a tiny piece of clay was worth so much! I went nuts buying any and everything I could find. I had to have one of everything. Not long after I figured out there was no way I would be able to get one of every Las Vegas chip made so turned my interest to Atlantic City. Then I found Archie Black online and he signed me up to the club and helped me finish my AC limited edition collection. I was 97% complete only missing a few of the $100s that I picked up not too long after…

Now what to do with these thousands of Vegas chips? I had a computer friend that designed web sites for the F.A.A. and he made my www.all-chips.com web site. I figured I would sell the Las Vegas stuff so I could afford the AC stuff I needed being I had all the common stuff and just needed the big dollar chips when they were available for sale… Today many years later I only need a hand full of chips from AC to have everything they ever released up to the $100 and since I can’t add a chip to my collection easily so I started collecting $500s knowing I can always cash them in… wrong. Bankrupt Atlantic Club changed all that but I kept all those $500s anyway. Chips were always cashable until they went under.

I love my collection and know what I pay for chips I need I will never be able to get back so just look at it like this… I take money to the casino and come home with none of it… So same here. I buy the chip. Money is gone but at least I have my collection to show for it! What a beautiful Atlantic City Collection it is too! If you want to see it just click here http://www.all-chips.com/Casinos.php?LocationID=2
I love this hobby and it will be sad if it disappears! I hope we cant get the new member we need to keep this hobby alive!
BTW: I know I need the $100 1st issues from Trump Plaza and Resorts if anyone knows where I can find them. Please lmk! I know I need another chip or two from there too…. Even some older $500s