You've asked a question that has many answers, Paul. Many collect the older chips because they like old things. Many collect because they bring back memories of good times they had at the old casinos. Many others collect because they consider them good investments.

There's also the 'gotta get in on this' motivation. For some of the psychology of this, I refer you to 'Extraordinary Popular Delusions (and the madness of crowds)' by Charles Mackay, published in 1932. This won't be the last mania that the public is caught up in, and it's certainly not the first. This book treats the South Seas Bubble, the Slow Poisoners, and my favorite, Tulipomania in 17th Century Holland. Rare tulip bulbs in beautiful colors (sound familiar?) were selling for thousands of florins, when 120 florins would buy, for instance, a thousand pounds of Dutch cheese. The mania collapsed of course, as all such bubbles do. The 'greater fool' theory will not hold forever.

The US silver coin market collapsed in the 1980's and has never recovered to the heights reached in those days when common silver dollars sold for hundreds in high grades.

For now, enjoy it. But be careful of plans to put your child through college by selling your chip collection in 10 years. Those old ARODIE dollars may be back to $5 by then!

And eBay stock may be worthless, as all auctions are then held on the Microsoft web site.

In the meantime, please bid on my chips, so I can afford to bid on yours <g>.

DonL