Al suggests that the casino is the same as the manufacturer with respect to having an interest possible infringement. So my comment here is with that in mind, and not really in regards to Pete's "manufacturer" question.

The monetary loss is this: As a collector, I, as many other collectors, only have so much money to spend on the acquisition of chips. For every dollar I spend on a chip, the less I then have to spend on another chip. If I spend all my money on the a re-furbished Tropicana chip (as an example), then I will not have those funds to expend on a Tropicana new-release. The Tropicana stands to gain from my new-release purchase, but not the re-furbished chip purchase.

For houses like the Four Queens, where their chip sales are calculated into their bottom-line, this could be important. Perhaps not enough to go to court, but enough to generate a cease and desist letter if advised where, or to whom to send it.

Just a thought.

Jim Follis