....Since the market is relatively slow this morning, I might as well jump into this.

As I might have mentioned before, I use Chuck Smorse as my Las Vegs new chip service provider. I have a standing order with him for everyone of the new issue chips put out by the casinos. The order still stands even when I know I am coming to Vegas and will be there at a particular time a new issue will be distributed, or even for chips that I know are still available at the cage.

Why do I do this. Well, for one reason, I know Chuck to be fair. His prices to me do not vary. They are the same for a 500 limited edition or a 5,000 limited edition. An example is that I know that he knew that the Riveria porno set was taken off the market. He was just aware as every other dealer that those chips were valuable. I still got my set at the same price as all the other chips I bought.

Now I know Chuck is not the only dealer who abides by this rule, but since I deal with him, I can only speak about him.

What about special issues--Ones that are handed out to high rollers or other special people? I do not consider this to be part of the package I contracted for. Nor do I expect the same price for a chip in which he would have to pay more than face for. e.g. having to play a certain game or table in order to get chips whereas it might cost him $100.00 or whatever for the chip.

His job is to go to the cage or the table or wherever to procure that chip for me and to buy it at face value so that he can make his alloted profit.

So what, if he had to go back 20 times to get a particular chip. That's part of what I am paying for. One time it might be easy, another more difficult. If I remember correctly, Chuck made two or three trips to Pahumph to get their millennium chips. Remember his experiences in obtaining all the chips he needed for his subscribers? I still got mine for the same price. He took a beating on that particular chip. But he makes up for it with the ease of getting the Four Queens chips.

I have full confidence that I will be given every new chip available. If I didn't, then I would have to subscribe to other dealers services as well, thereby splitting my purchases between two or three or more providers. Chuck would lose money in the long run because he would never know just what chips I would accept and which ones I would reject.

One more thing I wish to address. As I mentioned above, I have full confidence that my new chip service provider will get me all the new chips produced, even the ones with a 500 limited run. If he couldn't handle that request because he had too many subscribers, I would expect him to tell me that so that I may go to someone else to get my chips. If he had 100 subscriber and were only able to service 25 of them, I don't think he would be able to keep those 100 subscribers very long.
And those that stick around deserve the treatment they are getting.

In conclusion, I think the new chips services are the greatest thing going for those of us who do not have access to the chips of the casinos we are interested in. There are many fair dealers in Las Vegas as well as the other major locations.

Wake up people, shop around and don't succumb high prices. It ruins it for all the rest of us.