I wrote this early this morning and not to be burnt at the stake I didn't share but this is my opinion on the subject it's quite long... sorry I'm basically a babysitter at work and not much to do, also have a terrible habit of being long winded...
Maybe opening a can of worms here, this Is a forum and a place to discuss differences of opinion... not looking to start anything other than make a statement, and defend my own collection a bit... I feel like there are many efforts to keep prices reasonable here on PCF honest people will trade their chips within the community knowing that they could get more on
eBay, i understand there are fees that must be equated there... I have witnessed people buying some chips dirt cheap on
eBay and selling for increased prices here, nothing wrong with making a few dollars but a couple if these instances were over 100% mark up... not calling those people out, just saying it makes you cringe when you see it! I have had a few good opportunities to buy these chips at less than $3 a chip for the high denominations, obviously higher value because more people choose to play this set as a tournament set than cash and understandable given the number of chips produced, very low security.
In trying to finish the holes in the set I have paid over $3 a chip and happy to get them! Same old conversation of supply and demand, the current "
eBay" market for the higher denoms is around $4 a chip... based off what? well there is a seller selling his collection on there for $400 a rack, crazy high... obviously not because he is down to only $.50, $1, $5 and $25 every other rack he had is sold... here is another auction very recently that I was involved in, no I did not go that high but to fill a rack I would have easily gone $3.50 a chip..
View attachment 350383
The Paraohs recently have been bringing even more! The value of these chips even in this flooded market is going up! I have had more than one person both on
eBay and here contact me about mint condition 98
cdi's trying to sell them at $3 a chip, while I agree they are indeed worth $3 a chip the $1000 chips are very hard to find, people like bright flashy chips like the 05s, and while I love the $5 chip in the 98 series the rest don't have the bright wow effect, not even slightly hating on these chips ( I am slowly working on a set of those as well). Many people outside this community have no idea what the difference is between
THC/
RHC.
My point of this is making a statement like "I would not consider $2/chip a serious deal for these" when the second the high denoms hit your door step! You can sell them for double, the lower denoms around $180 - $200 a rack puts the value as a whole somewhere in the $2.75/ chip range... if not higher! Either way it's stupid to even make this statement (open a bag of worms, that need not be opened) as i am not selling mine, I'm proud of what i have built and I know what I can sell them for... the second part of your statement "given what else is available at that price" are we not all free to collect what we choose to? I understand the concept of over paying for chips and what it does to the values of chips for others trying to collect the same chips, but at the end of the day there are only so many of each chip made. With many collectors destroying chips to make customs which also drives the values up on those still intact, each person has to choose what they are willing to pay for any chips.
Sorry but that statement got under my skin and I think
@UKcollector has given me inspiration... I have a ton of respect for the Higher contributing members of this forum, the ones that paved the way and built a forum not only as a market place but a place for us to come together and discuss our collections/ potential collections/ meet ups and the game of poker itself! I am still very new to all of this, but I have found a hobby that gives me something to look forward to each and every day!!
There are many members on this forum that own and cherish these exact chips, to those members I say they are amazing chips that will always have a place in history for the home market, they have value, that value has been on the rise for a long time it is gradual and exactly the type of increase you want to see on your investment, the next big flashy set may hit the market... the demand may be extremely high in the beginning but already members are taking losses on those trying to move them. While those new chips flood the market and lower the rates on many desirable sets, these particular chips that the whole world knows outside of PCF remain strong. Example the Aurora Star hot stamp tourney chips (my absolute favorite!!) Desierable yes of course but very few in circulation, potentially adding to a set is even more difficult, so the value is high but I dont see an increase because the inflation has already occurred and the market is basically PCF members only, most of the outside world has zero knowledge of their existence therefore Anyone looking to invest in these chip I believe is still wise (because of the world wide market, not only our community) and I dont think the market is topped out on them.
Now to turn the tables and give a compliment where it is well due... sometimes questioning a member of
@BGinGA stature will result in running and hiding woth your tail between your legs. The knowledge you have gained with many years of experience in the hobby is at the very top in my humble opinion, the dedication and endless hours you donate to the community and its members to be more informed and overall better collectors and even poker players is award worthy and I am thankful to also be a recipient of some of that knowledge in my short time here on the forum! On this particular topic I simply disagree... I have said my peace and now willing to throw myself before the court and very interested in any rebuttals/ opinions that may come from my possible lack of knowledge of why my price point isn't closer to correct? To any potential grammar nazi's, I do apologize for my high school education/blue collar/construction worker level of vocabulary, to be honest its not their fault either I was never very good in school! Lol and I do apologize for being so long winded but in the least I hope this is a good read for some of you!! I have a feeling after a rebuttal I will be forced to change my user name to @idiotcollector but I'm ok with that as well!!
Fellow chipper Ben