The policy of the Hard Rock, regarding casino chips has NOTHING to do with chip collecting or chip collectors. Its about BUSINESS which = MONEY.

Take a look at where a substantial portion of their income is derived from.... Selling crap... Pins, glasses, chips, tee shirts etc.

The release of the now much talked about $25 Hagar chip has served its function. Look at the amount of discussion on this board.

Sure, it has alienated several collectors, myself included but look at the other side.
Many of the newer collectors or others that may read this board see $$$$$$$ signs.
Do you really think that the few chips that wound up on the table both $5's and 25's got there by error.
Or do you think they were put there on purpose to be snapped up by a lucky few to create this furor.

By a few chips ending up on ebay and commanding astronomical prices, is this hurting HARD ROCK ?
The simple answer is NO.

If tomorrow there were a release of 10,000 chips commemorating national dishwater day, it would be a sell out.
Without these marketing ploys and releases of large numbers of chips, How long do you think HR could continue.
Let's face it, the chips they turn out are beautiful, Their marketing execs aren't the stupid ones. It's us, the suckers that continue to play into their hands.