Jim; The chips you are referring to were not bought up by one or two or a few individuals ... they were purchased during the day and early evening on Wednesday by chippers from all over the country who came to the convention to attend the early bird swap session and Early Bird Welcome Reception Party on Wednesday night. Several hundred chippers were in town the day before the convention officially opened on Thursday. I personally recall making a PA announcement Wednesday evening during the early bird reception that the chips were available at the cage right after purchasing my limit of five chips to bring back home to Jersey to local collectors who could not be in attendance and who asked me to pick them up for them. With close to 100 dealer tables on the floor the next day, many of whom had set up on Wednesday afternoon, it does not take long for an issue of only 1000 chips to be consumed with all those chip collectors and dealers in town. The club can only make a recommendation to the house as to how many chips to order. After all, it's a $5 live chip that Orleans ordered, not the club's decision. The following year, I believe 2000 chips were ordered and did not sell out.

In this case, the early birds did indeed get the worm. I believe this chip is available even today at reasonable prices from legitimate chip dealers. Did some collectors who arrived in town on Thursday expecting to pick up the convention chips at face value get shut out? Yes, they did. However, as far as I recall, there was not much price gouging going on.... just the usual markup similar to most any other LE issued.