@so many more CCA members
ChipGuide Member Value Enhancement Announcement
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@cmrheller @Cuban1947 @Leo822 @Alex Cilento @jhelik @GamingOre @SandsChips @Jerry Vergatos @ChipmanScott @Crestseal @Stu Ungar @Robert @Paul Schaffer @stevenB88 @Charles Kaplan @OmahaMike @greatoz99
So many more members of both places
So many more members of both places
Just a reminder that we are having an OPEN CCA board meeting tonight at 6pm Pacific. Zoom link below. At the end of the board meeting, anyone on the call will be allowed up to 3 minutes (I have to see how many raise their hands to speak) to offer comment, suggestions, kudos, etc. I'm hoping that this crowd will offer up some great suggestions on how the CCA can better serve set collectors. Please know that with ME you do not have an enemy. We all collect "stuff" and the CCA under my Presidency will be inclusive of all gaming collectors.
For tonight's meeting, criticisms of the club and its operations in general are fine, but PLEASE be prepared to offer constructive solutions in the same sentence.
Do not bash individual board members, CCA members, or anyone personally. If that happens, even if it's inferred (eg. "you all know who I'm talking about"), your mic will be cut off and we'll move on to the next speaker.
I look forward to seeing lots of pokerchippers, PCFers, facebookers, and others at tonight's meeting. Here's the zoom info:
Topic: CCA Public Board Meeting 8/4/25 at 6:00pm PT
Time: Aug 4, 2025 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
us06web.zoom.us
Meeting ID: 854 2790 3608
Passcode: 911611
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+13462487799,,85427903608#,,,,*911611# US (Houston)
+16694449171,,85427903608#,,,,*911611# US
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Dial by your location
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• +1 564 217 2000 US
Meeting ID: 854 2790 3608
Passcode: 911611
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kbywFst5T1
For tonight's meeting, criticisms of the club and its operations in general are fine, but PLEASE be prepared to offer constructive solutions in the same sentence.
Do not bash individual board members, CCA members, or anyone personally. If that happens, even if it's inferred (eg. "you all know who I'm talking about"), your mic will be cut off and we'll move on to the next speaker.
I look forward to seeing lots of pokerchippers, PCFers, facebookers, and others at tonight's meeting. Here's the zoom info:
Topic: CCA Public Board Meeting 8/4/25 at 6:00pm PT
Time: Aug 4, 2025 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting
Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise cloud communications.
Meeting ID: 854 2790 3608
Passcode: 911611
---
One tap mobile
+13462487799,,85427903608#,,,,*911611# US (Houston)
+16694449171,,85427903608#,,,,*911611# US
---
Dial by your location
• +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
• +1 669 444 9171 US
• +1 719 359 4580 US
• +1 720 707 2699 US (Denver)
• +1 253 205 0468 US
• +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
• +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
• +1 646 931 3860 US
• +1 689 278 1000 US
• +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
• +1 305 224 1968 US
• +1 309 205 3325 US
• +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
• +1 360 209 5623 US
• +1 386 347 5053 US
• +1 507 473 4847 US
• +1 564 217 2000 US
Meeting ID: 854 2790 3608
Passcode: 911611
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kbywFst5T1
Dumbo
Pearl Member
- Messages
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- Reaction score
- 75
Just noting, as a relatively new member to the hobby, I have no effing clue what the CCA is or does. Even though I care about chips, history, etc.. I haven't spent any real time to investigate the CCA, because you make it difficult to (largely only using archaic websites, chat boards, etc).
Maybe get a more active presence here (or the other forum) if you actually want to drive membership? Integrate the chipguide more into forums like these vs having just another one-off site?
Yes I'm throwing rocks, but feels like a wakeup call is in order given the non-hobby/community building actions that are being taken and seemingly tight grip on the way things are/used to be.
/rant, I'll go to back to my hole now in which no one called into to ask my opinion. But I wanted to provide the raw perspective of a "newbie" which I assume is a target demographic.
Maybe get a more active presence here (or the other forum) if you actually want to drive membership? Integrate the chipguide more into forums like these vs having just another one-off site?
Yes I'm throwing rocks, but feels like a wakeup call is in order given the non-hobby/community building actions that are being taken and seemingly tight grip on the way things are/used to be.
/rant, I'll go to back to my hole now in which no one called into to ask my opinion. But I wanted to provide the raw perspective of a "newbie" which I assume is a target demographic.
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Either you haven't visited the club website in a while or you're thinking of The Chip Board (http://thechipboard.com) which is a privately owned discussion board owned by former CCA club President David Spragg that is still using software from 2012.
Believe it or not, there are a great number of people that actually prefer the "archaic" format of the Chip Board, and so they continue using it, in spite of the fact that the club's message boards have been updated (https://forum.ccgtcc.com) and all have been invited to use it. Member numbers are approaching 800 (I remove "spam" accounts, so the actual number of active members is less).
So, I don't think you're giving the current club a fair shake. Check us out.
You asked for it and you've got it (me). I'm here to help. Tell me what you'd like to have me (or others) post from the CCA that would be of interest to you.
Come to the board meeting tonight (link posted elsewhere on this forum). See what we're doing and what we're planning to do. Tell us how we can engage with set collectors better. The CCA is there for ALL casino collectibles, not just chips. We have people who collect dice, swizzle sticks, menus, slot glass, silver strikes, and a lot more. Set collecting is an important part of that.
I'd suggest that you might have it a bit reversed. The Chip Guide has been around (in various forms) for 25 years. It's not a one-off. Everything that followed it are the one-offs. Some are splinter or special interest groups like Silver Strikes, http://silverstrikers.com, which are still part of the CCA collectibles family. Others are rebel groups - those that feel they can get their needs served better without having to deal with other collectibles or maybe they've had bad experiences with the CCA or specific people and decided to do their own thing.
Aside from sharing the goings-on of the CCA with you all here, I'm not sure what other "integration" you are imagining. Give me some examples and I'll see what I can do with it. You can DM me as well, if you want to take the conversation offline.
I think I'm being a bit of a wake-up call to the CCA as well. I gave a speech when I was installed as the new President, outlining 14 specific things I wanted to do or change with the club. Some will be easily agreed to, adopted, and implemented. Some will be met with great resistance. And others will make sense over time and I have 2 years to do what I can to improve things.
But I am but one vote on a board of 5 (plus 2 non-voting at-large members). There is no "tight grip" as you put it. At least not how I envisioned my dictatorship, er, Presidency.
Jump on the board meeting tonight (starts at 6pm, public comment at end). Offer up your ideas (you'll have a max of 3 minutes to speak, so prep what you want to say in advance). I assure you that I want to hear what you have to say that will improve the hobby for all of us.
Yes, you ARE our target demographic. That said, anyone and everyone who collects gaming "stuff" is our target demographic. We certainly would like to see more younger members get involved, so if you fit that category, that's an added bonus.
Lastly, thank you for speaking up. Nothing gets done unless something is said.
Barry Sherwood, CCA President
PS That Moulin Rouge chip you have as your avatar is one of my favorites.
Dumbo
Pearl Member
- Messages
- 28
- Reaction score
- 75
Thanks, Barry - appreciate the response.Either you haven't visited the club website in a while or you're thinking of The Chip Board (http://thechipboard.com) which is a privately owned discussion board owned by former CCA club President David Spragg that is still using software from 2012.
Believe it or not, there are a great number of people that actually prefer the "archaic" format of the Chip Board, and so they continue using it, in spite of the fact that the club's message boards have been updated (https://forum.ccgtcc.com) and all have been invited to use it. Member numbers are approaching 800 (I remove "spam" accounts, so the actual number of active members is less).
So, I don't think you're giving the current club a fair shake. Check us out.
You asked for it and you've got it (me). I'm here to help. Tell me what you'd like to have me (or others) post from the CCA that would be of interest to you.
Come to the board meeting tonight (link posted elsewhere on this forum). See what we're doing and what we're planning to do. Tell us how we can engage with set collectors better. The CCA is there for ALL casino collectibles, not just chips. We have people who collect dice, swizzle sticks, menus, slot glass, silver strikes, and a lot more. Set collecting is an important part of that.
I'd suggest that you might have it a bit reversed. The Chip Guide has been around (in various forms) for 25 years. It's not a one-off. Everything that followed it are the one-offs. Some are splinter or special interest groups like Silver Strikes, http://silverstrikers.com, which are still part of the CCA collectibles family. Others are rebel groups - those that feel they can get their needs served better without having to deal with other collectibles or maybe they've had bad experiences with the CCA or specific people and decided to do their own thing.
Aside from sharing the goings-on of the CCA with you all here, I'm not sure what other "integration" you are imagining. Give me some examples and I'll see what I can do with it. You can DM me as well, if you want to take the conversation offline.
I think I'm being a bit of a wake-up call to the CCA as well. I gave a speech when I was installed as the new President, outlining 14 specific things I wanted to do or change with the club. Some will be easily agreed to, adopted, and implemented. Some will be met with great resistance. And others will make sense over time and I have 2 years to do what I can to improve things.
But I am but one vote on a board of 5 (plus 2 non-voting at-large members). There is no "tight grip" as you put it. At least not how I envisioned my dictatorship, er, Presidency.
Jump on the board meeting tonight (starts at 6pm, public comment at end). Offer up your ideas (you'll have a max of 3 minutes to speak, so prep what you want to say in advance). I assure you that I want to hear what you have to say that will improve the hobby for all of us.
Yes, you ARE our target demographic. That said, anyone and everyone who collects gaming "stuff" is our target demographic. We certainly would like to see more younger members get involved, so if you fit that category, that's an added bonus.
Lastly, thank you for speaking up. Nothing gets done unless something is said.
Barry Sherwood, CCA President
PS That Moulin Rouge chip you have as your avatar is one of my favorites.
The focus of member retention, while important, should be second to new member development IMHO. The new focus should be on younger new members. The sets community of 1000's most likely has a median age of under 50 maybe even 45 who from past interactions feel shunned and somewhat disrespected and dismissed. A hard run at the sets community with welcoming arms should be developed.
Maybe the membership director should be a membership comitee composed of folks frow SETS and SINGLES. Developing new members, to me, should be the MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE at hand.
Maybe the membership director should be a membership comitee composed of folks frow SETS and SINGLES. Developing new members, to me, should be the MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE at hand.
A question that lingers mostly un answered is:
What are the 5 key benefits of being a CCA Member?
Maybe some CCA members can chime in on this.
What are the 5 key benefits of being a CCA Member?
Maybe some CCA members can chime in on this.
I’m sensing a new volunteer raising his hand. Am I wrong?
I’m sensing a new volunteer raising his hand. Am I wrong
Dan, I want to thank you for participating in the board meeting and for taking part in the public comment at the end. There were a few names I did not recognize in the meeting, so if those were pokerchipper.com or pokerchipforum.com members, I appreciate them participating as well.
I wish I could have made it to the meeting. Here's the top 5 reasons I see (now) for becoming a member:
1. Trade freely with club members. Used to be the case most club members wouldn't deal with anyone who wasn't a club member. This is why I initially joined.
2. Code of ethics. The club can step in when an ethics violation happens. For instance, someone ships you a different chip than you purchased. The club can discipline the person who doesn't participate in an honest transaction.
3. Chipguide access to advanced searches. I'd like to see tutorials and examples so even non-techies can take advantage of this powerful tool.
4. Magazine? I don't normally read it, nor would I read an electronic version. A club newsletter could replace it.
5. I like saying CCGTCC, and Casino Chip and Gaming Token Collectors Club
What I'd like to see, is help for collectors who struggle insuring their collections. I don't want the club to insure them, but find an insurance company willing to work with our specific corner of collecting.
I also think it would be valuable to have a chip dispensation service after a collector has died. Maybe you have to be a member for x amount of years to qualify for this. But many families struggle with chip collections. Maybe offer them to the club, then ebay, and return 50% of the proceeds to the family.
People today are asking, what can the club do for me? I think its a good question, and when I think about other organizations I belong to...
PDGA membership allows me to enter PDGA Tournaments and sanctioned leagues.
USBC allows me bowl in a sanctioned league. (probably tournaments too, but I haven't looked into it)
There's no CCA equivalent that I see. I can attend the convention and trade sessions with my badge.
1. Trade freely with club members. Used to be the case most club members wouldn't deal with anyone who wasn't a club member. This is why I initially joined.
2. Code of ethics. The club can step in when an ethics violation happens. For instance, someone ships you a different chip than you purchased. The club can discipline the person who doesn't participate in an honest transaction.
3. Chipguide access to advanced searches. I'd like to see tutorials and examples so even non-techies can take advantage of this powerful tool.
4. Magazine? I don't normally read it, nor would I read an electronic version. A club newsletter could replace it.
5. I like saying CCGTCC, and Casino Chip and Gaming Token Collectors Club
What I'd like to see, is help for collectors who struggle insuring their collections. I don't want the club to insure them, but find an insurance company willing to work with our specific corner of collecting.
I also think it would be valuable to have a chip dispensation service after a collector has died. Maybe you have to be a member for x amount of years to qualify for this. But many families struggle with chip collections. Maybe offer them to the club, then ebay, and return 50% of the proceeds to the family.
People today are asking, what can the club do for me? I think its a good question, and when I think about other organizations I belong to...
PDGA membership allows me to enter PDGA Tournaments and sanctioned leagues.
USBC allows me bowl in a sanctioned league. (probably tournaments too, but I haven't looked into it)
There's no CCA equivalent that I see. I can attend the convention and trade sessions with my badge.
First of all, thank you for taking the time to chime in. We will have 5 more open board meetings between now and next June's convention, so more opportunities for you to jump in. I'll be posting minutes from the board meeting on the club's website (and message boards) and posting notice of that to this and other online resources.
I hadn't considered that, but you're right. It's kind of an unwritten understanding that you have a better shot of having a good transaction with someone that is a club member. Shysters aren't likely to join something where they have to give their identity (and money).
To be clear, the club will MEDIATE in order to bring a sideways transaction to a successful conclusion for both sides. Aside from kicking someone out of the club, we have no actual legal authority to "discipline" anyone.
Done!
Well, you're in luck. This already exists. Go to the club website, click on the "Education" tab, then choose a link for whatever you're interested in. There's a VIDEOS section that takes you to https://www.youtube.com/@CCASocialMedia, which has a bunch of how-to videos that were made around a year ago. More are under discussion within a committee, so stay tuned!
The club has an electronic newsletter in addition to the club magazine. The newsletter is published by Brad Smith via Constant Contact. If your contact email is up to date in the club membership database, you should be receiving it already. If you aren't, send an email to membership@ccgtcc.com and Membership Director Mike Nawrocki will help you from there.
What? You don't like saying "CCA"? It's so much shorter and easier, haha! In truth, there are a number of folks who still use the old name so you're not alone there.
That's a great idea and I'm going to add it to our "future ideas" list (which is kind of long, so please be patient).
Bob Miksztal wrote a nice paper that covers selling one's collection. It's found on the same Education tab I mentioned earlier. It's the last link in the list, but here's a shortcut: https://ccgtcc.com/education/selling_casino_collectibles.aspx
The club offers some financial/feature benefits already, including:
- Only CCA members can participate in the annual poker tournament, held during the convention
- Discount at the Mob Museum
- Free autograph from the club President (no subpoenas, please). The most invaluable value we offer.
- Discounted room rates and discounted resort fees at the South Point during the convention
I don't know if the club can handle this financially (and this is just me speaking personally, not as President), but I would love to see if we could afford to drop the fee for CCA members to get into the convention in June. That's a $5-$10 benefit right there. Just charge non-members to get in (offer one-day and all-day passes). And charge on ALL days (no free days as we do with Saturday currently). I plan to open that for discussion at some point, but we have other more immediate fish to fry right now.
If my "CCA Members are Free" idea goes through, you won't even need to pay for your badge if you're a member. Schweet deal, right?