Finally got my scanner hooked up to my new computer. Which meant my cozy little nest where my chip hobby was headquartered got torn apart so's I could run cables, look for install discs and all that stuff. Did find my 1st edition Campiglia/Wells though...cool! Copyright 1999. Got yours laying around somewhere?

For those that haven't seen one of these things, it is different than what we have today and I gather that it was different than what was before too! Provoked some discussion for sure about one or more aspects of pricing guides and C/W's ideas on them as well. Let me describe the item, upholstered in real um, something, maybe even leather? In the center is an gold-foil bordered opening where you can find a The Official U.S. Casino Chip Price Guide chip in an air-tite. Mine reads #858 of 1000 (R-2!). Also the price. Did I pay $49.95? Several thousands of dollars worth of enjoyment, education, chip-savvy, and savings down the road I've found what we all learn, that price guides are CHEAP compared to their benefits!

I'd been chip collecting for four whole months when I rolled into Las Vegas for my first solo visit to that city. Found this at the Gambler's Book Store. Continued my trip down to my Dad's place out of Tucson where one of the true attributes of James and Steves books became apparent. Want to explain chip collecting to someone? Hand them this book so they can see the pictures. My father and his wife each spent about an hour looking through and picking out favorite chips. Pretty neat right?

The number three edition will be heading my way pretty soon. I suppose I could have gotten it autographed but later folks would just ask "How come this guy signed James book?" Now if my first edition just had Howard Schwartz' signature on the flyleaf...