The tough part about collecting casino items is that it is part of an experience and usually brings back some type of memory that can be associated with the item. As an adult it is easier because the only restrictions you have is the money in your pocket but a kid has no idea what the rush of a big hand, jackpot or free item is like.
Looking back, I still remember the few trips that we made to Las Vegas but they have nothing to do with the casino per se as much as knowing that we would be staying at Circus Circus and the adults would take turns giving us money so we could play the carnival games as they gambled. As a kid I knew that they were 'winning' but had no idea what that meant as long as I kept getting partially filled buckets of quarters, I was happy. The other things I remembered was eating at a buffet because we never did that at home, all the lights driving up and down the strip and having my hands slapped every time that I tried to pick up a newspaper or ad. If my parents brought back a chip at that time, I would have thought it was a souvenir that they bought when we were asleep.
I have slowly been able to get my son into collecting but for him it is all about the design and he could care less about anything else. With the younger generation it is all about electronics and quick self-gratification and seems tougher to gain memories or connections to things. I have been taking my kids to Las Vegas since they were young and try to find something new for them each time and include at least one thing that they have enjoyed in the past. The part of the trip that they hate is the drive home; not because we are going home, but because they know that dad is going to spend 2-3 hours at Spinetti’s adding to his collection.
Where we are not all that young any more, we forget what it is like to be them and what will excite us. My kids have seen me use this site multiple times and tell me how much they dislike it because it is unorganized and difficult to navigate. They have no idea that this was how all sites were put together for years but they are use to sites like https://www.pokerchipforum.com/ because everything is split into categories with even smaller groups of specific things. When my club magazine comes in they do the same thing because half of it is the same exact adds and articles of every other issue either promoting the annual convention or looking back at it. Those of us that have kids; and or grandkids (not yet thankfully), should use them for examples of how to improve this hobby. For example:
We have a coin show that goes on four times a year at two different locations and each place brings a little bit different feeling and crowd. Me and my son have made it a tradition to go to each one for at least one day and take in everything that we can. He started collecting coins at a very early age and has most of what I would call common current coins and some of his semi-rare items so it is getting a bit boring for him and each time he goes he tries to find something that will keep him involved with the hobby. Over the last year he has been getting into silver ounces from different places in the world and I make sure that he goes home with at least one that he really enjoys. With the new item we talk about why he got that one, what makes it so special and why not get something else. The more he talks about it, the more I realize he is describing my feelings towards collecting casino items and helps us bond even more. I have watched him spend hours trying to decide between two items because he only has the money for one and on occasion thought of buying the second one for him but stop myself because then it would not be as special to him.
Over the last few years I have started to see if he wants any of my doubles that I have collected and he goes through them one at a time and only takes the ones that he likes. I let him know that he can have them all but he reminds me that he does not like them all and only wants to collect certain ones and I make sure not to push on him more than he wants. When it gets to that point he reminds me that one die I will die and at that time he will get them all for sure.
I have yet to be able to go to the annual convention because something always comes up last minute that ends up being more important or drains my funds. I am hoping to be able to go to the smaller show in October and plan on taking him because I want him to look through everything and create a love for it on his own and see what he truly does like. By doing this I feel that he will then start to see why I look like a little kid on Christmas morning whenever I can add something to my collection and why an old beat up token is just as great as a brand new one as well.
I can keep going on about other items but will put that in another post.