Richard,

Archie is pretty much on the mark. However, sometimes, information about the mintage is known. This information generally comes from casino sources and educated guesses. Occasionally, exact amounts are known, such as the last two strikes from the now-closed Riverboat. There was a lot of discussion about the Golden Gate Bridge and Trolley strikes, which are either 250 or 300 total depending on who is talking. Interestingly, the bridge generally commands a higher price than the trolley. Perhaps because the club named it token of the year in 1999?

As far as reissue, most times you can be secure if the casino is closed, but who knows what might happen with the newest Hacienda in Boulder City. The old Hacienda strikes have settled in at about $85. And Golden Nugget Laughlin is planning on installing strike machines after a several year absence. When Luxor reinstalled, they put a date on the new series to distinguish it from the old series.

Finally, some of the prices are insane and bear no relationship to supply and demand. A good example is the grossly overpriced Circus Circus LV with the Reno Clown on the face. Every collector has one and the price remains at $400. I also suspect myth, rumor and speculation have a lot to do with price. The Venetian Grand Opening ran higher than the others in the series because the date didn't coincide with the actual opening and someone said it was "cancelled" on his website.

Try to learn from serious collectors. Join the silver strike chapter. Be careful about stampeding into ebay bids. Some of us just have to be the first to have it when it comes up.