Mark.
I enjoyed reading your post.
One of the major reasons I got into this obsessive hobby was my interest in all things old and documented. I have a small collection of vintage gambling postcards myself. I will e-mail them if you want to see them. I wish more posts were used this way....and I'm sure many other people feel the same way.
And heh.... you never know, but some of the chips on the tables in the PC's may be in the hands of one of our fellow collectors right now..!
Keep on Musing.
Thanks
Chris Stephens