Yes, John; I publicly admit that I'm the guy who made that statement to you ... and I still stand by it ... and I'll tell you why.

IT'S NONE OF ANYONE ELSE'S BUSINESS HOW MUCH THEIR EMPLOYER PAYS THEM, HOW MUCH THEY PAID FOR THEIR SMOKES, THEIR CAR, THIER BOOZE, THEIR SEX, THEIR FOOD, THEIR CLOTHES, THEIR SHOES, THEIR HOUSE..., or THEIR CHIPS!

Recently I purchased a relatively large quantity (for me) of Puerto Rico chips from an individual here in the States who purchased them from a bankruptcy auction judge in Puerto Rico. Nine different of these Bud Jones chips up to the $100 denomination (all from the same casino) are not listed in ANY Puerto Rico chip catalog that I am aware of ... nor do I know of any dealer in PR chips who has them for sale. In fact, well-known collectors in Puerto Rico are buying the chips from me.

There is also a earlier companion set from the same casino made by a different manufacturer (H.C.E. Edwards) that suggests a retail price of over $2600 for six different chips listed in a PR Catalog that was just published earlier this year by the formost dealer of Puerto Rico chips .... albeit with debateable values.

I personally paid $6000, plus postage & insurance, for a quantity of these chips (as a very minor dealer-seller in Puerto Rico chips) at a bulk price. My selling price on this six-piece set (catalog price $2600) is $50. My price on the never offered, never cataloged, nine-piece set is also $50.

Guess what; very few takers because the word is out that there is a "hoard" of these chips. Is one box of 100 chips on a few of these issues, "a hoard"?

Is charging less than $10 for a chip that catalogs $500 & $1000 each ... or for chips that have never been offered before... "ripping collectors off" on chips that are very seldom, if ever seen? Am I expected to offer them for less than I paid for them?

There's a mentality out there that suggests that everybody should know everybody else's business. I say Bullsh1t!!