I am a "Newbie". I joined this great club a little over a year ago and just recently renewed my membership last month. When I first joined the club I had many wonderful members help me get my collection started. It didn't take long to acquire quite a few chips. I never concentrated on just one type, denomination, LE, etc. I just tried to get the chips that I liked and wanted. I was doing really well with my collection until my wife ruptured a disk in her back. She has been off work since March of this year. That has really put a strain on our collecting. I have had to trade most of my chips, strikes, tokens, etc. for other chips that I really wanted to get. I don't have that many chips now but the ones that I have I am very proud of. I have never gotten to go to a convention and the way my luck is I don't think I ever will. I only have 1 book that I can look up prices of my chips so I depend on the great members here to keep me in line when I want something. I don't know the value of chips and depend on the members here to let me know before I bid on something on eBay. I try to stay away from eBay and get the chips I want from someone here. My goal is to get my chips built back up and someday have a "Man Room" like Shoop's!! lol I love it when the members here post pictures of their collections. It blows my mind to see all the displays and chips & dice. Anyway, I will shut up for now. I am not to bright,,,,,, I am definitely a few bricks short of a load but I have this terrible disease called "chip collecting" and I don't think there is a cure. So you can call me whatever you want,,, All I just know is I love chips, strikes, tokens, dice and I will till I die. Have a great day, Mark