Your absolutely right Jim! The "real fun" of this hobby is in coming across something you don't expect real "cheap". If you know the places to look and most of us do, you will find your share of elusive strikes. Was in Vegas & Laughlin the past ten days and observed that a lot of the Casinos with strike machines have some very "grumpy" employees when you try to deal with them. Those people at the Mandalay Bay have the personality of a cornered "Rattlesnake"! They definitely need an "attitude" adjustment!Fortunately their strike machines gave me what I wanted for a small price and I got outta-there! The folks at the Plaza I found just the opposite. Real friendly and helpful to the collector! Going back to my original thought, I walked up to the cage at the Riverside that sells the strikes and asked if they had any $7 strikes. They had 2 Hoover Dam NCM mints. One "frosted" and one "clear" which I proceded to pick up for $7 apiece! Not a great find but never the less a nice little "bargain" to end our trip on. I have also come across some great bargains in Pawn Shops and these you collectors should not "pass" up. Just another man's 2 cents. Enjoy the hobby for what it is. "Chase" strikes are not the "end of the world" in this hobby!...........Dick Maheu in New Mexico