Thank you to all who have responded to my newbie questions. It's refreshing to find such a friendly group of people.
I appreciate the offers to trade to help me build my colledtion. That started me thinking...
Since I am a compulsive collector I've accumulated a wide variety of items over the years that might be of interest to some of you. If you're interested in any of the following items, maybe we can work out some kind of trade to help me build my collection and let you trade some of your more common $1 chips for non-chip collectibles. Write me if you have any interest in any of these areas and I'll send you more details of what it is I have:
Plastic tube radios (1940's-1950's)
Metal ashtrays with pin-up advertising
1960's rock posters
Hot Wheels cars in packages (1998-2000)
Fruit crate labels
Diecast 1953-1956 Ford F-100 Pickups (First Gear, Road Champs, Matchbox)
Pin-up calenders
Auburn Rubber cars
RCA Electron Tubes advertising clock
Wha-Hoo! game board (1950's)
1950's gossip magazines
Matchcovers (pinup & other front-strike)
U.S. Postage Stamps
First Day Covers

Drop me a line if any of this stuff is down your alley and you want to work a trade.