would disagree that "reproductions and similar type chips" are bad for the hobby because their part of the hobby may -- and does -- include such chips. Are we more important or more right than they are? I do not advocate the repairing of casino chips and I'm pretty certain that Heritage Auctions didn't tell the consignor to "bring it back when you get that hole filled in". If a club member had this same chip and was selling it on as described in the Heritage Auction, would I have a problem with it? Absolutely not. The issue of repaired & altered chips has been discussed for many years on the BB. There were and still may be some very good artisans that are making repairs and/or alterations to chips & selling them as the real deal. Do I believe that is acceptable -- not at all. But that is not the case here...it's noted as being repaired and the repair is easily discernible. Below is a scan of some "altered" Hard Rock Cafe brass cores -- would they be bought as the real deal? No, because just like most reproductions / commemoratives & most chips that have had their drilled holes plugged similarly to the one in question -- it's quite evident that they have been altered.

As a collector of old Las Vegas casino chips, repaired chips are always a concern of mine. I try to stay informed and ask questions of members with much better insight & knowledge than I have prior to making costly purchases. This club's members are the greatest source of knowledge & information in the hobby. If I was spending more than a couple of hundred bucks on an older Las Vegas chip, I ask questions first.

Steve Bedo