Here is some information published in the Canadian Numismatic Association e-newsletter:

CASHING IN ON CASINO CHIP COLLECTING

Sheldon Smith, Publicity Director for Casino Chip and Gaming Token Collectors Club (CCGTCC), sent us an e-mail recently: “This is a small article on casino chip collecting for possible inclusion in your publication. We have permission from the author, Erin Frostad, and the
Mohegan Sun Casino to have this article published. We hope that you will find space about this fast growing collecting hobby. We are having our annual convention in August in Las Vegas at the Riviera Hotel.”

Since we have published virtually nothing in these bulletins about this popular segment of numismatics, here it is:

With over 1,000 casinos throughout the country and new ones popping up all the time, a classic hobby is gaining popularity by the second. Welcome to the exuberant world of casino chip collecting. Gambling was first legalized in Nevada in 1931, and faster than a roulette wheel can spin, the collecting of casino chips was born. With the recent “rebirth” of poker in the United States, this hobby is more popular than ever before.

Meet Chris Sevick: Table Games Supervisor, ten-year employee and chip-collecting enthusiast. Chris began collecting chips in 1998 from
casinos in Connecticut and Atlantic City. He soon expanded his collection to casinos across the nation and the world. Chris has been to 70 casinos throughout the U.S. and Canada, and has amassed a collection of over 1,500 chips, inluding ones from casinos in Puerto Rico, Argentina and Ecuador.

Chip collecting is an appealing hobby because of the value it brings. Depending on its condition or year of production, a casino chip can fetch
many times what its face value is worth. Other factors affecting its value include whether it is currently in circulation, if there are misprints or if it is a limited edition chip. “In other words, the harder they are to come by, the more people want them,” says Chris.

Some of Chris’ most unusual chips are known as “personal chips.” Many collectors create their own personal chips, choosing the design, colors and pictures to show off their individuality in the chip-collecting world.

Anyone can have their own chip made, and many enthusiasts are now utilizing personal chips in place of business cards!

The most enjoyable aspect of Chris’ hobby is the people he’s met and friends he’s made along the way. He and his fellow collectors have become a
close family, even with things that are non-chip related. “When someone’s family member passes away, we group together and donate money to the Cancer Society or another organization in their honor,” Chris says. A member of CC/GTCC for three years, Chris is looking forward to the Annual Convention in Las Vegas this summer, where members trade, sell, and get the latest chip information. “I look forward to placing a face to all the names of the members I’ve been trading and selling with over the years,” he adds.

Chris’ collection of Mohegan Sun chips consists of nine, including the $1 chip from Mohegan Sun, which was named $1 Chip of the Year in 1996.

Chris will soon add another piece to his collection once he obtains his commemorative 10th Anniversary chip. “I’m glad to see Mohegan Sun is putting this chip out for the employees,” Chris said. “As a 10-year employee, this one means a lot to me and is a special souvenir.”

For more information on casino chip collecting, please visit www.ccgtcc.com or www.thechipboard.com

Great Article!