Start a giveaway pile!

Most chip collectors pick up enough chips when they are at a casino, to have some to trade with other collectors. They have their chips in their collection, and they have their chips to trade. How about starting a 3rd group? Those chips can be the ones that go in your giveaway pile!

As you become more involved in the hobby, you will run into those who have never collected, but find the hobby interesting. If you end up giving that person a chip or two from your giveaway pile, you just might bring a new collector into the hobby. And end up making a trading partner at the same time.

Garage Sales!

Garage sales are another way to find chips or other gaming related items. Check your local newspaper to see what is listed in your area.

When you arrive, the first thing you should ask is if they have any old casino gaming chips. Even if there are none out for sale, sometimes people will remember a couple they brought back home and just tossed in a drawer!

If they don't have any chips, ask about other gaming related items. Even if you don't collect anything other than chips. If you get something else cheap enough, you might be able to trade it for chips in the future. Or sell it, if the item is something special.

Also, make sure to leave your contact information with the person putting on the garage sale. You never know when they might meet someone who has some chips.

Join the CCGTCC and receive a FREE chip!

From now through December 31st. I will give anyone who joins The Casino Chip and Gaming Token Collectors Club a FREE uncirculated $1 current house chip from that page of my Web site.

You must fill out and mail in the form located at the link below. Then E-Mail me to let me know that you have sent it, and also which chip you would like. Include your mailing address in the E-Mail. Once the membership officer confirms he has received your application, I will then mail out your chip.

http://www.nevadacasinochips.com/cc_gtccapplication.htm

Room Keys!

Another area of collecting is room keys. The casinos/hotels have some very nice looking and colorful room keys. They also change the artwork quite often. Special events are one reason for new artwork. Room keys are also fairly inexpensive to collect.

If you have friends who you know will be staying at a casino/hotel, make sure and ask them to keep their room key as you collect them. There are also quite a few collectors to trade with. You can go to the slot card board link below to read posts from some.

http://www.slotcardbbs.com

Insurance for your chip collection?

Collectors ask me all the time about getting insurance for their collections. I feel it is something you really should have just in case something happens. I have my collection insured with Collectibles Insurance Agency and have been with them for a number of years.

Not only is my collection insured, but the same policy covers my mailings and insurance on my collection if I take it to chip shows.

The link below will take you to their Web site where you can learn more about them. At the bottom of the first page you will find their toll free number. There is also an E-Mail address.

http://www.collectinsure.com

Goodbye to the Stardust!

For those that do not already know...the Stardust will be closing it's doors around noon on November 1st. If you live here in town, or will be here before they close, you can go check it out for the last time.

The plans are to implode it on New Year's Eve and then build a mega resort on the site. A lot of people are sad to be losing another part of Las Vegas history. Myself, I am looking forward to the future and the new place that will open in the next couple of years.

What are the most popular limited edition chips every year?

I have been asked that question a lot over the years. Without a doubt, Halloween chips are number one with collectors. Those that collect Halloween chips, can't get enough of them.

There are a few collectors that have every Halloween chip ever issued from a casino. That is very impressive! With some Halloween issues having been made in low numbers, it's almost impossible these days to try and acquire a complete collection. It's worth a try though if that is one of your collecting interests.

With Halloween right around the corner, there will be a number of new issues from not only here in Nevada, but from other areas with gaming as well.

You can view a list of all known Halloween chips at the link below.

http://www.halloweenchips.com

U.S. Casino Chip Price Guide!

Price guides are just that, GUIDES to the value of a chip. They become outdated fairly soon after being published.

What is fantastic about the U.S. Casino Chip Price Guide are all of the high resolution COLOR chip pictures! There are also numerous pictures of some of the older casinos.

The book is now in it's 3rd edition. I would suggest though that you buy all three editions if you can find them. The reason being is that they show a lot of different chip pictures in each edition. You will never be able to see so many color chip pictures all in one place.

For more information on the book and to see how to order directly from the author, just click the link below.

http://www.nevadacasinochips.com/USCasinoPriceGuide.htm

The future of Las Vegas?

"Vegas Today and Tomorrow is an up-to-date, comprehensive and easy to navigate collection of current news, maps, plans and renderings of proposed and future projects in the Las Vegas valley. The site is packed with over 600 photos on 112 pages of developments under construction as well as plans for future and proposed projects."

The above is from their Web site. For those who like to keep up with what is being planned for Las Vegas, this is a great site. In addition to a lot of pictures, there are some fantastic maps of the Las Vegas valley showing various projects.

Click the link below to check out the site.

http://www.vegastodayandtomorrow.com/index.htm

Keeping track of your chip collection.

Would you like to use a computer software program to keep track of your chips? Terry Shaffer is a sales representative for Carlisle Development's Casino Chip Collector's Assistant Plus. Terry is also a fellow club member.

In addition to the software program, Terry also includes a bonus CD with almost 10,000 full color, high quality chip scans.

Click the link below to learn more about the program.

http://www.happychipper.com/carlisledevelopment.html

Crest and Seal chips.

Some collectors just concentrate on crest and seal chips. These are chips that were made by the U.S. Playing Card Company in the 1940's or earlier.

Rich Hanover is one of those collectors. He has one of the largest crest and seal collections known. Click the link below to check out his amazing collection of crest and seals.

http://www.angelfire.com/extreme/chipper/USPC/ALLclubs.htm

Have you ever overpaid for a chip?

We all have at one time or another. Collectors pay more than they should for items in any hobby at least once. Don't let it sour you on the hobby though.

Instead, keep that item nearby as a reminder to do your homework. The more you know about the hobby and what chips sell for, the better prepared you are to make good decisions when buying chips.

Ask fellow collectors what a chip you are interested in has sold for. Search the Internet to see if you can find the same chip for sale there. Check The Chip Rack and the U.S. Price Guide to get an idea of the value of a chip.

Do your homework and it will payoff in the long run.

Nevada Casino Ashtray Project!

For those of you who are thinking about collecting casino ashtrays, you will find the Nevada Casino Ashtray Project Web site very interesting.

You will not find more pictures of Nevada casino ashtrays anywhere on the Internet or in books. Go to the link below to check out the site.

http://www.nevadacasinoashtrays.org

When the mob ran Vegas!

This is a great book about Las Vegas in the 50's and 60's. Go to the link below to read more about it.

http://www.whenthemobranvegas.com

Ask the experts!

Do you have a question about a collecting area related to gaming? There is a group of club members who have volunteered to answer your questions.

Go to the link below to find out who volunteered in your area of collecting. Then just E-Mail them your questions!

http://www.ccgtcc.com/education/ask_the_expert.pdf

Postcards!

For those who like to display their chips, adding a postcard from the casino is a nice addition. That way you are showing what the casino looks like, in addition to displaying the chips.

You will find all types of postcards at the chips shows. You can also find them for sale online at eBay. Postcards that are over 60 years old, or more recent postcards from just a couple of years ago.

I collect linen postcards from Nevada. You can see two from my collection at the link below.

http://www.nevadacasinochips.com/Postcards.htm

Some GREAT Nevada neon pictures!

Thanks to fellow chipper, Mark Erickson, for sharing the link to these pictures.

Once you are through looking at the neon pictures, make sure and look through the rest of the Nevada Division of Museums and History section of the Web site. There are a lot of interesting articles and more photos.

This is one of those Web sites that you really should bookmark. You will be going back to it.

http://dmla.clan.lib.nv.us/docs/MUSEUMS/reno/exneon/neonlist.htm

Protecting your chips with AirTites.

"AirTite Direct Fit Holders are made of Acrylic with a non-yellowing agent. The end product is a hard, crystal clear, two piece, snap together cover and base. The foam rings are made of Volara and serve two purposes; they secure the chip in the holder and create an attractive border to accent the chip. Neither contain any PVC products and they provide superior long-term protection for your entire collection."

The above is from the JP's Corner Web site where I buy my AirTites. Some collectors like the AirTites with the foam rings, I prefer the direct fit AirTites. Whichever you choose, you should buy at least a box of 250 to get the best price. That might seem like a lot to a new collector, but you will use them all sooner or later.

Go to the link below to check out the AirTites at JP's, along with everything else they have to offer.

http://www.jpscorner.com/AirTite_Direct_Fit_AirTite_Coin_Holders.htm

Gaming Partners International.

"GPI USA, previously known as Paulson Gaming, manufactures the widest range of products for live games for licensed casinos. GPI USA offers Paulson and Bud Jones chips, 3 brands of precision dice, felt and synthetic layouts, playing cards, tables and other gaming accessories to all North American casinos.

All GPI products have a proven track record because they combine aesthetic appeal, reliability and security. Security is the key. A large selection of security features can be added to chips, dice and playing cards to make them safer and to prevent counterfeiting. GPI USA is also the exclusive distributor of the world famous B&G plaques for North America and the Caribbean."

The above is from GPI's Web site. Anyone who is interested in casino chips and gaming in general should take the time to check out their site linked below.

http://www.gpigaming.com/usa_products.shtml

Do you have a scanner?

In this day and age, everyone should have a scanner. You can find a number of different scanners on the market at very cheap prices.

You will find that those who you will be trading chips with will want to see a scan of what you have. In turn, they will be sending you a scan of what they have to trade.

When you go to buy a scanner, take a couple of chips with you to have the salesman scan for you. Make sure that those chips include one or two with hot colors in them. Hot pink and orange for example. You are looking for a scanner that will scan the true colors of those chips.

Also, ask the salesman some questions about the photo software that comes with the scanner. Make sure you have some idea about how to use it before you leave the store. Ask for the salesman's card so that you can call him if you have any questions once you get the scanner home.

Once you get use to using it, a scanner will be one of the best things you have bought, to add to your enjoyment of the hobby.

The Casino Chip and Token News magazine.

"You will find featured stories from current and past issues of the magazine along with useful information on the hobby of casino collectibles."

The above is from The Casino Chip and Token News magazine Web site. One of the perks of being a member of The Casino Chip and Gaming Token Collectors Club is that you receive this great magazine.

Editor Allan Anderson and assistant editor John Moore, do a fantastic job putting out this award winning magazine four times a year.

For those new to the hobby, you can go to the Web site linked below and read some of the past issues.

http://www.cctn.ccgtcc.com

Book Reviews!

As I have mentioned in another post, there are a number of books related to the hobby of chip collecting. Fellow club member, Michael Knapp, has done reviews on many of them.

In addition, he lets people know how they can obtain the books. Go to the link below to read Michael's reviews.

http://www.ccgtcc.com/education/kob/kob.htm

Should you clean your chips?

When it comes to the subject of cleaning older obsolete chips, I have found that it's just about split down the middle, between those who chose to clean and those who don't.

Some people say that cleaning a chip "removes the history", I say that it removes the grime! If I have a chip that really looks bad from all the grime it has picked up in the casino, I will clean it. Too much grime on a chip will hide the true colors of the chip. Cleaning it and then applying a very small amount of mineral oil to the chip will bring the colors back.

If you do decide to clean some of your chips, make sure and read the information linked below. My friend and fellow club member, Charles Kaplan, compiled it a couple of years ago. Then The Casino Chip and Gaming Token Collectors Club listed the information on a page of their Web site.

http://www.ccgtcc.com/cleaning.html

Chip Chat!

As you can tell by some of my previous posts here, I like to learn about the history behind a casino chip.

One way to do that is to subscribe to Doug Saito's Chip Chat! Each issue is approximately 35 pages printed front and back on 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper. The front page is in color, showing the chips that Doug writes about in that issue. Then there are more pictures in black and white throughout the issue. You can also buy chips from each issue and bid in an auction for chips.

In addition to knowing a LOT of history when it comes to casino chips, Doug is also a Hall of Fame member of The Casino Chip and Gaming Token Collectors Club. At the annual convention, Doug has given a number of lectures about the history behind the chips.

You can order a six issue subscription to Chip Chat for $24 by contacting Doug through the information below. Tell him that I sent you!

Chip Chat
4056 Front Street
San Diego, CA 92103
Phone: 619-296-3502
Fax: 619-299-1368

A note about the $5 chip scans I include in my posts.

If you would like to see the actual scan of a chip included in a post, just left click on it with your mouse! That will give you the best view of the chip.

One thing about starting this blog is that I now have to scan about 900 more $5 Nevada obsolete chips from my collection! I have been putting that off for quite a while.

The Neon Museum!

"The Neon Museum officially "opened" with the installation of its first refurbished sign, The Hacienda Horse and Rider, on November 15, 1996 at the intersection of Las Vegas Blvd. and Fremont Street."

The above quote is from The Neon Museum Web site. They are doing some fantastic work. In addition to the Hacienda sign, they restored Aladdin's lamp from the old Aladdin Hotel and Casino. If you collect casino chips, I'm sure you will find these casino neon signs interesting. They have more scheduled to be restored.

They have also restored numerous other non-casino neon signs. All of their restored signs can be viewed in Downtown, Las Vegas in various locations along the Fremont Street Experience.

They keep the signs they acquire in a location called the "Boneyard" where they wait to be restored. Groups of 10 or more can arrange a tour of the Boneyard for $5 each. It's a tour that you should arrange if you have the time when you are here in Las Vegas. The details on the tour, plus more information on what they do, and pictures of their work are on their Web site linked below.

http://www.neonmuseum.org

The history behind the chips!

It's nice to be able to learn about the history behind the chips that we collect. There are a number of very good Web sites here on the Internet to do just that.

Below is a link to a Web site which covers all of the casinos that have been on the Las Vegas Strip. Make sure that you bookmark the site, you will be going back quite a bit. There is just too much information there to read it all in one visit.

http://www.lvstriphistory.com/ie/index.htm

The Perlowski Files!

My friend Jim Perlowski has written a number of articles over the years. Some dating back to the late 1990's. That was when a number of us were hanging out on the old Prodigy Boards. Once the Internet really took off, another good friend, Greg Susong, started up The Chip Board. That is where we hang out now!

To view Jim's articles and learn a little bit more about the hobby, just go to the link below.

http://www.nevadacasinochips.com/PerlowskiFiles.htm

Casino chip molds.

What mold is it? That is one of the first questions a person is asked when they start to describe a chip. A good part of your education when it comes to casino chips, will be to learn about molds. And there are a LOT of them.

One of my favorite molds is the rectangles and hearts mold shown here on the Wilbur Clark's Desert Inn $5 chip from my collection. One of the most popular molds is the arrowdie. No matter what area of interest a chip collector might have, they always seem to want at least one chip with the arrowdie mold in their collection.

Quite a few collectors try to obtain an example of every mold known. That will keep you busy for a while!

The best place to see and learn about molds is at Robert Eisenstadt's great Web site. The link to the mold design section of his site is below. Make sure to bookmark that page, you will refer to it numerous times over the years, as you acquire more and more chips for your collection.

http://www.antiquegamblingchips.com/molddesignindex_site.htm

What should you collect?

When someone first comes into the hobby, they are out to collect every casino chip in sight. They are like a kid in a candy store. After a couple of months go by, they realize that it would be impossible to collect them all. First of all, not that many people can afford to buy ALL of the chips they come across. And even if you could, there are only so many examples of certain chips available.

So, they have to narrow down the field a bit. A good place to start is to decide what denomination you would like to concentrate on. For me, that happens to be $5 chips. Then you need to decide the location you will collect from. I collect all $5 chips from Nevada. Some might want to just collect from Las Vegas. Maybe the area that interests you is Atlantic City. Or Riverboat chips. Maybe chips from Indian casinos. And there are numerous other areas to chose from.

Some collectors don't just pick one denomination, they pick a casino and try to collect all of the chips made for that casino. If you pick a casino that has been open for quite a while, you might spend years trying to collect ALL of the chips they have had in use over that time. Keep in mind that just because you have a certain collecting area, that does not mean you won't be collecting other types of chips. There will be times when you come across chips that you REALLY like and you will add them to your collection. Even though they don't fall into your collecting area.

The main thing is that by having a certain collecting area, you will enjoy the hobby more, and not be so overwhelmed by all of the casino chips available.

Personal chips!

Something that is very popular these days with chip collectors, is to have a personal chip made. You come up with an idea and design, then have it made into a chip. Then you trade your chip with other collectors who have had one made.

There are several companies who make chips. Some for as little as a $1 a chip. At the most, you would pay about $2.50 a chip for artwork and special edge printing if you wanted it. Plus engraved numbering. That would also include shipping, racks for the chips and tax.

My friend Debby Meister has done some beautiful work designing chips. You can check out some of her work at the link below. Her E-Mail address is also located there if you would like to talk to her about designing a chip. If you do have one made, make sure and contact me so that we can trade!

http://www.nevadacasinochips.com/DJM.htm

The education of a chip collector.

When you first start to collect casino chips, you need to educate yourself on what you are collecting. You can do so in a number of ways.

One way is to purchase books on the subject. Read them once and then after you have been in the hobby for a year, go back and read them again. You will be surprised at what you missed the first time since you were new to the hobby.

Attend chip shows and ask questions of the many dealers and collectors there.

Search the Internet, there are a lot of Web sites online related to casino chip collecting.

The more you know about the hobby, the more enjoyable it will be. And the knowledge you gain will help you to be better prepared for those chip purchases and trades you make.

Casino Chip Shows.

Chip shows are fantastic! A room full of tables containing casino chips and other related items. If you have never been to one, you really need to change that.

I keep a page on my Web site that lists all of the upcoming chip shows. The link to that page is below. Check it out to see if there is one that you can attend.

http://www.nevadacasinochips.com/ChipShows.htm

Acquiring chips from Nevada casinos.

The best place for a new collector to acquire casino chips is from the casino itself. Getting the chips at face value and being able to buy a few of each denomination will give you a nice trading inventory to get you started in the hobby.

Here in Nevada, the majority of the casinos will let you buy chips directly from the cage. Make sure that you go to the cage when they are slow and a cashier will have time to help you. The graveyard shift is the best time.

Whenever you do go, make sure that there is nobody behind you in line if possible. Make a list of what you want before you get in line. That way after you ask for certain chips you can then hand the list to the cashier and it saves them having to write down the information themselves. Include on the list the denominations of the chips you would like and how many of each chip. If you are looking for Limited Edition chips, then along with the denominations, include a description of the chip, July 4, Halloween, etc. If you are looking for uncirculated chips that have not been on the tables yet then ask the cashier if they have some set aside that you can purchase. Always make sure and tip (or TOKE as they say here in Nevada) the cashier.

If you make it clear up front that you are prepared to toke the cashier for their help, that will go a long way in helping you get the chips you would like. $2 to $3 is good and up to $5 if you feel the cashier has really been helpful and you picked up something special.

If for any reason the cage refuses to sell you chips then you will need to get what you can off of the gaming tables. The best place to start is a table that does not have any players. Approach the dealer and let him know what you are looking for and tell him up front that it is worth a couple of dollars to you if he can help you. Dealers would much rather make a couple of dollars looking through chips for you than just standing around not making any money at all. If you don’t get what you need on one table then try any other tables that don’t have players.

As long as you go into the casino prepared you should come out with some nice additions to your collection and trading inventory at face value!

Collecting casino chips as an investment?

If you are thinking about collecting casino chips as an investment, you really should think twice about doing so. There are several other ways to better invest your money, than to put it into casino chips.

You should look at collecting casino chips as strictly a hobby. Sure, you want to get the best deal possible when buying a chip. And if you have to sell that same chip down the road, you would like to make a profit. When it comes down to it though, unless you have a one of a kind, highly sought after chip, most common chips will not go up that high compared to other investments. And those one of a kind rare chips are VERY few and far between.

Collect casino chips because you enjoy doing so. If you happen to make a profit down the road then so much the better. The real profit will be in the enjoyment you had over the years, collecting the chips to begin with, and the many friendships developed over the years with other collectors who have similar interests.

Do you have friends who vacation to casino destinations?

If you do, then let them know that you collect chips! Make out a list of the denominations that you collect and how many you would like of each. Then give them some money and the list.

This is a great way to add chips to your collection for face value. And to get them from casinos that you might never get to. At the same time, you might just be bringing another collector or two into the hobby.

Respect your fellow collectors!

I have seen recently where a few collectors in the hobby have put down what others collect. Either by calling what others collect "junk", or by trying to brag about their own high end collections.

There is absolutely no reason for this type of behavior. All it does is drive people out of the hobby. Collect what interests you and let others collect and enjoy what they desire.

The more people we have in the hobby, the bigger the hobby will get. And that is better for all of us, no matter what we collect, nor how much our collections are worth. Respect your fellow collectors and what they collect!

Welcome to the Nevada Casino Chips Blog!

I'll be using this blog to post my thoughts relating to the hobby of casino chip collecting. The good and the bad in the hobby. Mostly the good!

I'll also be offering advice on collecting. From how to mail out casino chips, to how to obtain them for your collection. And anything else that I might think of. I might make several posts a day, or only a few over the course of a week. We'll see how it goes.

I'm a Life Member of The Casino Chip and Gaming Token Collectors Club. Member number LM-2471-52.

My main collecting interest is obsolete $5 Nevada Casino Chips. I will be including an obsolete $5 Nevada Casino Chip from my collection in each post I make.

If you ever come across ANY obsolete Nevada Casino Chips, please send me an E-Mail to let me know what you have. I'm always looking to add to my collection.

You can also go to my Web site linked below, to see what I have to offer there.

http://www.nevadacasinochips.com