Katie, don't be bummed out. That $1 Nevada Club/Nevada Lodge chip in your collection has lots of history and interest to go with it. Here's a bit of info:

1. This is an unusual "dual use" chip that was made for 2 locations with a common ownership-- the Nevada Club in downtown Reno, and the Nevada Lodge on the north shore of Lake Tahoe at Crystal Bay on the Nevada/California border. Dual use chips are pretty rare, with Harrah's using some Reno/Tahoe chips a while ago for their 2 properties. Cal-Neva in Reno also owned the Cal-Neva Lodge in Tahoe for a period of time, but never issued dual use chips. The Nevada Gaming Control Board allowed such chips for quite a while, but no longer (since the 1970's or so, I think.)

2. The chip is made by T.R. King, in the "small crown" mold. T.R. King is best known for its California chips, which are still made for use in several jurisdictions, but NOT Nevada any longer. They were barred from supplying gaming materials to Nevada casinos some years ago (in the 60's or 70's, I think). Also, the $1 chip has a center-inlay, in contrast to the more commonly used hot-stamps for lower denomination chips.

3. Historically, this $1 chip is 40+ years old -- I'm assuming it is older that you are! It was made before the Tahoe casinos were open on a year-round basis. The highways were difficult for tourists during the snow season, and casinos relied on business between Memorial Day and Labor Day for their whole survival at Tahoe in those days. This resulted in a pretty high mortality rate in the early days of Tahoe. The Nevada Lodge location started out as the Tahoe Biltmore for prox. 1 year in the 1940's, then renamed Nevada Lodge for many years under multiple ownerships (only some of which was common ownership with Nevada Club in Reno). More recently (1986), the property was renamed "Tahoe Biltmore" again -- see image below. If you visit it today, you can still see many architectural elements of the original casino, when it was a scrappy, old-style Tahoe casino.

4. The Nevada Club in Reno was also a small casino, fighting for its niche with the better know Harolds Club and Harrah's Club/Casino over the years. It finally succumbed to the downturn in Reno, but for many years was a fun-to-visit casino with the old-style Pace and Mills chrome plated mechanical slot machines among the WWII decorated theme on the second floor. Their belly-buster half-pound hamburger in the diner was an experience, too!

I could go on and on, but you get the idea. There's lots of history and unique features in those chips in your collection. As you learn about these pioneer properties, you'll enjoy your older chips even more, I'll bet.

Now, aren't you proud you have that chip in your collection?