as far as getting a "concrete" definition... you won't get one in chipping.

Take the new US quarters... because you can't get them from the mint, does that make them obsolete?? Heck no! But that is the angle some apply to chips. (you can't get it from original source, so they are "obsolete".)

There seems to be one definition for AC, another for Nevada and another for Ebay.

There is a reason several of us are "avoiding" this debate (again). AC collectors have one opinion, Nevada collectors have another. I lean towards the Nevada definition... and even THAT isn't consistent.

TO ME - obsolete means (when applied to chips) the chip no longer holds the value for which is was orginally intended. This means that either the casino closed and there is no place to "redeem" them... or that the casino has called for a redemtion period - and no longer recognizes the chip as a debt owed by the casino.

I like the word "retired" for chips that have been pulled and replaced by new racks. These chips can be redeemed, but are generally not returned to the tables.

Chips that are "sold out" to me are NOT obsolete. They are simply "not available" at the cage (like Hard Rocks).

But IMO, if you can sit down and play with a chip... or redeem it at the cage at the value the casino intended, it is NOT obsolete.