Well, if it's really a chip & signature, I think the PIN is just for cash advances, identification if you call Visa, etc. I'm pretty sure when I first got my chip & sig Visa I called them confused and this was the answer.

It doesn't hurt to try the machine. I tried last time at Centraal Station, and it just wouldn't work, so I went to the ticket window. Worst case is you waste a few minutes of your time.

It is amazing how incorrect information on various flyertalk fora fly so frequently especially regarding US credit cards in europe.

Most US credit cards now have chip (Chase, Citi, Barclays, Amex). Yes, they are setup as chip and sign. But they do have secondary fallback option of chip and PIN. (several threads on US credit cards on flytertalk but most have outdated misleading information)

First-hand confirmation that both barclays arrival and chase BA card worked at AMS. Depending on the amount threshold, it may issue ticket even without prompting for PIN.

I'm not sure this is true of the Chase cards. I tried to use my chip & sig not too long ago at a European train station and it didn't work. Could you explain what you mean by chip and PIN as a "secondary fallback option"? I would love to be able to use mine at machines in Europe if there is some secret trick.

Just to be safe, I'm going to bring about €40 in coins for tram fares within Amsterdam and bus and train fares outside of Amsterdam. I'll also use the change for several hours of storage of my pullman at Amsterdam Centraal.

I want to make absolutely clear that the old joke I am about to post here in no way refers to Analise. Her post simply reminded me of it.

Mary: I can't believe it it. Some guy in town today called me a "two bit whore"!

Debby: What did you do when he said that?

Mary: What else could I do? I hit him with my bag of quarters.

That's a lot of coins to carry...

Certainly it's your preference, but I've always found it quite easy to buy from the ticket window. But if having the coins makes it a little less stressful for you at the train stations, that matters too!

I know....I'll get mostly €2 coins.

Each credit card has bank programmed priority order for authorization.
For most new US cards it is chip & signature first and then chip & PIN.
Thats why when you use it at a restaurant, server does not ask you to enter PIN but instead rolls eyes, prints a copy and ask you to sign. At ticket machine, chip & signature are ignored and hence chip & PIN is used.

When you shop in Walmart with chip card, it forces you to use CHIP & Signature (not, swipe and signature)

But many vendors also have de minimus setup for authorization. For example, my local grocery store does not require signature if purchase is less than 20 USD. While using Barclays arrival card in Paris RAR, I found out that transaction below 5 EUR did not require PIN but over that amount I had to enter PIN.

Chase BA Visa worked on ticket machine for trains.
So did Barclays Arrival.

There is plenty of info on flyertalk about credit card technoogy and its usage. (way beyond my ability to comprehend)

The ticket machines couldn't have been easier and I thank everyone for the advice given. As for Dovster's question about carrying heavy luggage, there were elevators and/or escalators at every station where I was including AMS, Amsterdam Centraal, Amsterdam Sloterdijk, Hoofddorp, Haarlem and Leiden.

Did you use attempt to use the US bank cards at any self-service kiosks but have them declined so as to make you use the euro coins instead?

No I didn't because it was cheaper to pay in cash and I had already exchanged bills for coins.

IIRC those only work if you already have an OV-Chipkaart that you need to reload, not if you need to buy a single-ride ticket. My sample size isn't large, though, as I've only checked out a couple of machines while waiting for bags from CWL a few days ago...

I realize your trip has been over for a while, but in case someone else is reading this: if you're carrying this much cash for single-ride tickets, you are likely going to be better off buying either 24- or 48-hour tickets from either your hotel or the tram operators (not sure if they sell them on buses). A 24-hour one costs 7.50 EUR, the 48-hour costs 12.50.

Last time I was in Amsterdam you had to go across the street from the train station to the local transit office to buy those cards. I much prefer to use them because then I'm not guessing what the fare is, where to pay, etc. and I feel freer to just hop on the bus for short trips instead of wondering if I still have enough coins.

Was very glad about the death of the strippenkaart (which I'm sure I spelled wrong). Never could really figure that out, as in, if I board here, how many do I punch for X stop?

Sorry to break it to you, but you spelled it correctly :D