I was thinking about this more this morning.

When I was a kid, my parents subscribed my sister and me to animal and nature magazines. Every month or so, we would get something in the mail that was fun, educational, and gave us a reason to stay interested.

Today, I am part of several Discord communities where I learn just by being around people who are interested in the same things I am. There are always discussions, videos, pictures, and people willing to explain things or teach others.

With the CCA, I never really felt like I was receiving that kind of value. There is the club magazine, but I am not even sure how often it goes out anymore or whether it is mostly digital now. I am just trying to explain what I mean when I say I never really found much value in being a member.

There is education available through the Chip Rack, but it is not always easy for a new collector to understand. It is mostly lines of text, and terms like mold, inlay, and other details are not always easy for beginners. When I was working at my old job, I often had to explain to customers how to read the book.

There are better ways to get this information out there now. It is 2026. The CCA could be making videos, posting regularly on social media, creating beginner-friendly content, and showing people why this hobby is interesting. It may feel awkward or cringey at first, but that is part of putting yourself out there.

I have actually been asked several times to create content for the club. I did it for a short time a few years ago, but things changed in my life and I stopped doing it. I think Rene was doing something similar for a while, and then Barry asked me about it this past year. I told him I was open to possibly doing one or two videos a month. I am not sure how many videos the club would want, but I do think it is important that someone starts creating regular content about the hobby.

That is why I started doing it on my personal channel. My Dunes video has over 40,000 views, Cal-Neva is at 25,000, and Landmark is at 22,000. The reason those videos do well is because people connect with history and nostalgia. They want to relive the times they visited these places, or they simply want to learn more about the casino.

I have a lot more casino history videos planned, and I am going to keep adding to the channel. When I first started, I felt like the cringiest person in the world. Eventually, I got over it. If my videos teach someone something and help get information out there, that is what matters to me.

I would also like to hear more stories from club members about their own experiences. Did you visit TR King? Did you ever visit Paulson? Where have you been, what did you see, and what memories do you have from those places?

Phil Jensen is always sharing stories about his experiences, and those are the kinds of things people enjoy hearing. If we want to grow the hobby, why not do more of that?

I appreciate that the CCA reached out to some social media people. They may not have known much about casino chips when they arrived, but they came to the show, made videos, and gave the club more exposure than I have seen in a long time.

That is the kind of thing I think could help the CCA grow. Create more content, reach beginners, work with people who are already active online, and make the hobby easier and more interesting for people to get into.

I am not saying there is no value in the club. I am saying that if the CCA wants more people to join, it should show people what they are getting instead of mainly restricting access to something that used to be free.