For many years the Colorado Belle regularly issued $5 LE chips. Usually for New Years, 4th of July, River Runs, Summer Months, Blues and Brews, etc.

Several years ago it seemed they had quite a few LEs in the cage, just waiting for collectors. In an effort to get them out the door, the Belle decided to remove from play all of their regular CIC $5 rack chips and only have the entire inventory of $5 LE chips on the tables.

For awhile, it was hard to get a regular issue $5 chip (like yours). At that time I had a friendly cage person who was on the lookout for chips of interest for me.

One one ocassion, this person found a $5 chip with 8 inserts instead of 12. I asked if there were more and ended up with three (3) of them. Now this person searched the entire rack of regular issue $5 chips, as they were all in plastic racks, off the tables awaiting the departure of LEs.

Of the three chips, one had a crack in the plastic ring (it was sold in the Club's auction last year). The other two are still with me, but one is damaged, while the other one is worn, but otherwise OK.

According to a cage manager (not my contact, who is now gone), the 8 insert chip was an early issue at the Belle, but there is no explanation why more have not turned up. I've asked many collectors if they had an 8 insert version, but so far no has turned one up.

Jim