Want Kentucky
Derby
info? Just follow the link!
Hey!! Check out my weblog! It
is an insight to my scattered mind, and I occasionally talk chips there!
Gamblin'
Ramblin'
Since my change in occupation, it has
been difficult to even begin to think about continuing my quest for a Tae Kwon
Do Black Belt...I was so close too. I have not given up though. Hwang's
continues to grow in the Louisville area with a new dojang opening in the St.
Matthews area.
My interest in casino chip
collecting started many years ago when I visited Las Vegas with my family. My
brother and I played at many casinos during our visit and at each casino
we would keep a chip and move on to the next. We would also go on "chip
hunts" while we were there, hitting casinos just to get chips. I went to
Vegas a couple of more times and each time I would try to acquire more chips.
Prior to our vacation in 2001, my last trip to Las Vegas was in 1988,
so what chips I collected had been sitting in a desk drawer occasionally
being brought out to show friends.
In 1998, Marybeth and I took a trip to Lake Tahoe. We had a wonderful time enjoying
the view and donating much cash to the casinos. I made sure I hit the casinos
that had table games and picked up chips from each of them. I also bought
a silver dollar from a coin shop and the owner showed me a price guide
on chips. I had no idea of the variety of current chips available,
not to mention the number of obsolete chips from closed casinos. I decided to investigate
further once I returned home.
After arriving home and
getting settled, I fired up the P.C. and began looking for casino chip
sites. I was looking for sites that had more pictures than lists as I was
just "beginning" to really get into the hobby. There are links to these
elsewhere in this site. I was surprised to see the many
subtle variances from one chip to another. I also discovered that chips
commanded a wide variety of prices from different dealers. I made some
small purchases and was quite happy until one day I found the web-site
to really get me going: an online auction. I set the price, what I believed
was fair. My collection has grown to over 1000 chips and I have had a great time
building it. I have made some friends, in fact a group of us gather for lunch on
Mondays to talk chips and tokens. I have also established strong business relationships
with many people. While this sounds like a commercial( it's not), it's
just the way it has worked out over the last few years. I still purchase
from dealers but an auction is more fun.
So...why do I collect casino chips? Good question! I like the variety and colors. I find them much more
interesting than coins. They are uncommon in my geographical area, though
riverboat casinos are close to me now. Casino chips (cheques, actually)
have a "romantic" quality to them. Think about who won or lost this particular
chip. Unlike a coin, for instance a Morgan Dollar, a chip represents a
different value. While the Morgan has collector value, it's face value
is $1. A $500 Sundance represented that amount and they changed hands constantly.
A chip is not legal tender, it had monetary value only to the casino that
it was issued from. Also, casino chips are very limited in their
"mintage" and some early issues are quite rare.
Think of a chip(cheque) as an IOU, with class.
Also,
the camaraderie of "chippers" can't be beat. A few of us get together
once a week to have lunch. Of course we talk chips and tokens, but we also
discuss issues and make a few trades. Occasionally we get the chance to
view...first hand...some very rare chips. Few collectors get to see a $100 Great
Provider or a Nevada Gaming Promotion crest and seal, much less hold them in
his/hers hands! Every week I learn some history of older clubs, legal and
illegal. I truly enjoy every meeting, but I have only one problem...that lunch
hour goes by way too fast!
All right! That's how
I got started and why I collect. Below are links to other places in my
site. Check out the area links to see my collection. I've been selling/trading a
lot more lately so if you have a good offer...let's talk! Check my Want List
to see what I'm looking for. I
have included a picture gallery
featuring my chips from select casinos. Also, check my Hall
of Fame to see my favorite chips. I
have many links to other personal chip web-sites and
commercial
sites. There are also sites that list collectors and their preferences. If you
find your interest building, there are many local
clubs you can join. There you can meet with others that
share the passion and love of chip collecting. You will be able to
buy/sell/trade with members and pick up more information about
"chipping". There is also the annual International Convention of the
Casino Chip and Gaming Token Collectors Club, Inc., where
buyers, sellers, dealers, collectors meet and have a great time.
I
would also like to take the time to thank all the new Club Members that listed
me as their referral. I won an award for being one of the Top Ten Recruiters for
the last year. I have a pic of the certificate in the Chipping
Basics Page. I would ask that if you are interested in joining the Club,
please list me as your referral. Or better yet, just go to the link at the top
of the page and print out the application and mail it in!
I have also included links about Nevada history.
It's the beginning of my Gaming Area Section. I plan to include Las Vegas, Lake
Tahoe, Virginia City, Newport, Kentucky, and Jeffersonville, Indiana. Information
and histories will be featured. This part of the site will take some time to
complete, but will be worth the wait. It's nice to have some background on the cities and towns where
the casinos operated. Enjoy my site and drop me an e-mail if you like.
Also, check out my family's other pages. They are packed full of great
stuff for everyone.
Have YOU gotten your MrChipper
merchandise yet? Some folks have! I've got mugs, T-shirts, mousepads, and more!
Just go to the Links Page and follow the link to
the goods!
The following is an article for my site that contains
the author's observations of how the chip collecting hobby and the internet are
linked. Enjoy!
Casino Chips in Online Casinos
Casino chips, much like the cocktail waitresses and on-edge slots machine players, are the staples of bricks and mortar casinos everywhere. For the average tourist, casino chips offer a souvenir, or memento, which they can take home and remember the good times with. Something that is obviously impossible in an online casino. However, casino chip collecting has taken on a life of its own. Since the formation of The Casino Chip and Gaming Token Collectors Club
(CCGTCC) in 1988, as well as the emergence of casino chip collectors using the internet to discuss rare chips and other matters. Casino chip collecting is really at its peak and has turned into a very serious hobby with collectors from all over the world swapping
their latest "must have" chip.
Of course, the internet has done much more than put exonumia collectors in touch with one another; it has brought us more news and opinions than we could ever fathom, taken social networking to a whole new level and more importantly, allowed people who couldn't get to a land-based casino to experience the highs and lows of an online casino and very often get some of the best casino bonuses.
The advent and emergence of online casinos has left many in the bricks and mortar casino business wondering whether online casinos will take over. Worries were raised that players would be taken away from the high-rolling roulette table and instead prefer to gamble in the comfort of their own homes. Although this hasn't been the case, as Las Vegas and Macau are as busy as they have ever been, online casinos have provided players with an experience that mimics bricks and mortar casinos, even down to their use of ‘virtual’ casino chips.
Online Casino Games
As soon as you start playing at an online casino, you'll notice that the experience is incredibly similar to land-based casinos. Of course, you don't spend your time in Vegas pointing at baccarat cards with a mouse, which would be downright strange, but the atmosphere of a land-based casino is duly recreated in their online counterparts. Cryptologic casinos, such as Intercasino, offer multi-player games that allow players from across the globe to sit at one table, all intent on beating the house edge. Even the croupier is recreated in online casinos, like when you play blackjack online, the dealer dutifully hands you your cards, while you hope they go bust and you don't.
But as much as online casinos try the fact remains; there is simply nothing as satisfying as holding a cold, heavy clay chip between the thumb and middle finger, a feeling that you simply can’t find anywhere else.
Casino Chip variations
The main interest to casino chip collectors is how online casinos recreate the sensation of clutching a $100, or even $1,000 dollar chip while waiting for the next roll of the dice. Of course, the real life element of holding this chip is partially lost in an online casino, but developers have done all they can to provide a simulated chip experience. When you sit down at a gaming table, casino chip aficionados will note that online casinos try to adhere to the official chip denomination rules. In Intercasino, the $1 chip is beige, the $5 one a bold red, the $25 chip a lime green, the $100 chip a chocolate brown and the $500 chip a vivid purple. While the $100 chip strays from the black it is usually represented as, casino chip collectors will know that chips come in all colours and themes, so it isn't that unusual to see a brown $100 chip, especially when the likes of The Who are duly represented on chips.
Conclusion
Casino chips in online casinos remain a contention point for both collectors and for those who prefer the experience of a land-based casino over an online one. While online casinos can't recreate the touch and feel of a clay casino chip, they do offer players the chance to wager their money with them and if it gets a few savvy players interested in casino chip collecting, then that is only a good thing.
