This note is not meant to offend anyone or any of the NIS providers of which I am or have been and still ARE a customer of all of them at one time or another. I believe they all provide a great service to those of us unable to get chips we want at very reasonable prices. Having said all that , now to my point and I think the point of MOST of the people on this BB. We all know we can't take a trip to Vegas each and every time a new release comes out......that's why we patron the NIS providers. Most of us DO, however, go to Vegas once or twice a year. It would be REAL NICE if while on this trip, we'd be able to pick up any RECENT new issues at the casinos for face value ourselves. Isn't that part of the "FUN" of chip collecting?? When the chips are in the cage and all "saved" for the "lists", that does nothing good for the hobby and would turn away any potential new collector from joining our ranks.
Most of the time with issues of 2000 or more chips, this isn't an issue. Any less than that it becomes a problem especially at the popular places to collect from! What is the "correct" amount of chip to be issued......that's another thread. Do I have an answer.....no. Do we need to find some "middle ground".....for the sake and GROWTH of the hobby.....YES!!!!

Steve