Hi Rick,

One of the best ways to start collecting is right here for contacts on trading chips. The other is you can go to casinos and get chips in person. When you go, pick up a few extras to trade. Then you make a list of the chips you have to trade. You can use notepad or wordpad, or even xcel if you like. Then post a message on the message board telling people that you would like to trade chips. You'll get people emailing you and giving you a copy of their trader list and they'll ask you to send yours. If theres anything you have that they would like they'll tell you and vise versa. Then you just send the chips in the mail in a small bubble mailer. 2 to 4 chips costs 57 cents in postage. The other way to accumulate chips is through ebay. There are lots of people offering colections...ie., 12 chips with a starting bid of 7.00. just dont get carried away with the bidding. And pay attention to the shipping costs, some are only $1.50, while some ask as much as 5.00.

Another great way to increase your collection is with a shotgun swap. Thats where people sign up for a 2 or 3 chip swap. The organizer gets a list of everyones email and name and address and then sends the list to everyone that signed up. Then when the order to "Shoot" comes (when the entry is complete) everyone sends 3 chips to everyone send you 3 chips..and you send evberyone on the list 3 chips. Any chips that you already have you would use as traders.

I personally collect any $1.00 chips. I dont go after the old or rare chips. I do it just for a hobby...just for fun. I have a few chip display boards that are framed and they hang in my game room and in my office.

If you are looking for people to trade with...im always available...and i know alot of other people here are as well. Feel free to post here as much as you want. You wont find a nicer or more honorable group of people around!! I came here just like you and poted a message not much different then yours. I've been coming here ever since. Even when i post like crazy for swapping and picking up chips...the folks here are if anything very tolerant of silly quesations...and helpful beyond anyones expectations.

Good Luck, and welcome to the hobby!!!!