As a Newbie myself here,I understand your position fully Don. Thanks. And for once,here I have found a hobby that I can delve into with limited knowledge,enjoy and spend money that at least I know I could possibly get most or some of it back when the day comes should I need it.
I have always been a souvenier type person on trips and a gambling man in AC/Vegas so finding out about the Club was a pleasant surprise and now I am hooked.

I also have a modest coin collection I enjoy going thru from time to time,mostly First Strikes pcgs gold and some bars and loose silver that I know
will be rainy day money when I need to sell it.(And pretty much know the value of every day.)

I just hope chip collecting does not go the route that baseball cards did in the 70's and 80's.(Though I did not catch the bug,I wish I had my shoebox-full collected as a kid in the 60's)
I need that rationalization that this money spent on a new enjoyable hobby does retain some value down the road.

My other hobbies include:
Aquariums,nothing too extravagant mind you,but a money-draining hobby I still enjoy.Money spent is out the window.

Fantasy Football,sometimes you win,sometimes you lose.New game and money spent yearly that you can't keep in a strongbox..

At some point the hobby/money spent has to be justified for me.I want to see the chips be something valuable to pass down to my nephew in 20 years.