I don't know that I agree with you. No matter what policy the casinos establish for distributing their chips there are those who say that it is killing the hobby and causing collectors to give up on LEs. I hear the same arguement made regarding the casinos that have put strict limits on chips allowing collectors to get them and dealers to only get up to 5. I live far away from LV and can't and won't travel the 4 hour flight to get chips every time there is a release. If not for the dealers, I would have very few chips. I agree that it is not fair to give unlimited amounts to dealers and thus squeeze out the collectors. That is why on a few occasions I have suggested that some casinos would be better offering fewer releases each year and issuing more quantities than more limited editions and so many different releases.

Taking 4Queens or Tropicana as examples, I don't know how may editions they release but some of them are truely stupid. They could certainly afford to be a little more selective on the occasions or subjects for which they release chips and simply release more quantities. Then, they could divide the release by say 3. 1 for Dealers, 1 for Collectors,(at the cage) and 1 for placing at the tables. That way, the dealers I depend on can get enough to fairly offer them to me, The local collectors in or around LV or close enough to get there, can get what they want and some chips will still be available to entice people to become new collectors and, if I can't get there but once or twice a year, I could get lucky and win one at a table.

I have won LE chips at several places. The Orleans frequently has LEs in their racks at the tables. In 2000, I actually got a 1995 New Years chip, in good condition I add, at RIO, I got a GO chip at Aladdin, last June and have picked up Blue Man while playing BlackJack at Luxor. I have also picked up a few anniversary chips at places like GN and a couple others I can't recall right now.

I do enjoy playing cards and other games while in LV. It adds some extra interest when you can win a couple or few good chips at the tables.

Anyways, back on the original topic, I don't think the situation you discribe is really causing collectors to take a diminished interest in LEs and Commemoratives. As more and more casinos do put LOW limits on chips, collectors like myself will get pushed out. Besides, I notice more and more LEs released all the time. I would think, if there wasn't the collectors interest, the casinos wouldn't be continuing to produce the chips. My Opinion of this???? I don't completely reject your feeling that there may be a drop in interest in LEs. I think though a lot of it is due to some high profile people or some who are making a very public demonstration(?) who feel caught up in the contriversy here and are selling their collections and stating that they will not buy anymore LEs. I even heard one person, a few months ago, say he had returned all his remaining Riv chips to the cage. I would guess though that some other smaller collectors picked all or some of them up. I think the real problem, at least with me, is that there are just too many releases. I haven't purchased anywhere near as many chips as I did last year at this time. My reason??? Overload. I can't afford them all and therefore am getting, maybe, overly selective of what I actually want. It isn't because I have lost interest, I just have hesitated over many chips because on my limited budget, I have been afraid that if I buy one release today, a better one might come out tomorrow and I won't be able to afford it. I therefore get very selective of the ones that I want. I am at the point now, where I am largely holding off till after I go out to LV in June. I will see what I can get then at the cages and tables. Then, if I have any luck and bring home some extra cash, I might buy some of the chips I passed on earlier. If they are still available.