Didn't he have a legit partner in Las Vegas? Someone very reputable who still reads this BB?

Rene somehow got to some casinos and would have chips produced, then sell some to his "list" have a release at the casino where very few got out, and then sell the rest at inflated prices. Ask some of the people who stopped collecting from those casinos. LEs are not my game.

Last I heard from Rene was a sale he ran, with a "contest"

Also we will contact you in a couple of week for the bonus drawing of the $5 El Ray chip.

As far as I know, there was never a drawing, just messages promising it would happen some day. One said, maybe based on the Super Bowl score.

Since the sale was in July, you can get the idea of how this evaporated.

Rene played loose with his claims and always had a angle for profit on whatever he promoted. Bordering on the brink of scam or fraud, but mostly pushing things to the limit.

Now the other side:

I bought Rene's book on LEs just so I could read about them and look at the pictures. It was very well done and I complimented him on it numerous times. The fact that it covers the early issues, before the chip of the month became a flood of sets and series. Nice book if you can find it.

Rene's last sale "Deal of a lifetime 53 Casino chips for $149.99" was too good to pass up and I bought a set. Then I wrote and asked if I could buy another set, about ten times, never got a reply.

It was a good deal and had some nice commemorative CC>CC "Thank You For Your Contributions" chips picturing club members. LTD 250 set Palace Station NCV. Jim Kruse, Greg Susong, Gene Trimble, Howard Herz, Allan Meyers, Steve Cutler, Bruce Landau and Archie Black Chipco chips.

Also was the 15 chip "Celebrating Collectors" Chipco vegaschips.com series ltd 500.

He promoted shows and the hobby with energy and vigor. Too bad he couldn't control his urge to manipulate chip issues and extract profits from questionable tactics. He was driven and hard working.