Brian; Today is July 29, 2000 .... and it seems that there is still much resentment about the release of this chip.... primarily from those who were not able to get one, for whatever reason or another. I've related everything I knew about this chip release to those who were present at the March A.C. Chapter meeting and those who were there who said they collected $100 chips and who were able to purchase one chip at face value from me. It's much like the guy who goes fishing on Monday and comes home empty handed, while the guy who went fishing the day before, on Sunday, was able to limit-out. Alot of chip collecting success stories have to do with being in the right place at the right time.

I've heard a few stories AFTER the chapter meeting about some individuals with influence at Taj Mahal who evidently were able to obtain additional chips after the 20 chips were made available to those at the Chapter meeting. To my way of thinking, these individuals are NOT the "chip collecting community", but individuals with some influence with Taj Mahal's upper level management. This should not come as any surprise to anyone who is the least bit familiar with casinos and to what lengths casino bosses will offer "perks" and complimentaries to preferred players.

The Taj Mahal $100 Millennium chip was released on March 9, 2000. To the best of my knowledge, as of today, there were only 100 chips manufactured. It is my understanding that these chips were originally not going to be released for ANY public consumption, but were to be distributed among Taj Mahal's premium players. It was only through an individual who works at Taj, who appealed to Taj management and who made arrangements for me (representing chip collectors) to lay out $2000 of my own money on a roulette table at a pre-determined time to purchase twenty $100 chips ... as long as the chips were disposed of for face value at the March Chapter Meeting ... I got two chips for my personal reference collection out of the deal .... and for which I paid full face value also.

What happened after that, all I've heard of are strong rumors that an individual bought 20 chips which were divided with someone else and that a 3rd party, (a non-collector, non-club member) was able to purchase more than 20 chips in an unrelated transaction to the previous 20 chips. The undisputed fact remains that there still were only 100 chips manufactured.

For those who are still upset that they don't have one.... and can't live without one.... I would suggest that they seek out someone who has one for sale for under $200 and do some serious dickering..... either for cash or in trades. It's the ONLY way you will be able to obtain one at this late stage of the game. In fact, at the last Chapter meeting on June 4th, I personally purchased a $100 Taj millennium chip for $150 from one of the seller/attendees who purchased it for the $100 face value at the March meeting.

The simple truth is, I know of NONE for sale at face value today ..... and this is a tough, tough chip that will remain tough for some time to come. I'm grateful to the Taj for making 20 of them available at face value for those who were present at the March A.C. Chapter meeting.... and I too share your disappointment that some folks with influence (rightly or wrongly) were able to get more than perhaps they should have..... but I do understand the circumstances.

Having said that, I don't know that any Tom, Dick or Harriet, who was not at the meeting (and not "in the know") would have been able to get a $100 Taj Millennium chip for face value from the casino ... and especially not at the cage.