I'm not sure which came first, The Pioneer or the Westward Ho.

Both were souvenirs of my first trip to Las Vegas in 1981. Even then I thought those chip things were pretty cool...but they were redeemable for money! I mean, you wouldn't pocket a $5 bill for a souvenir, would you? But I would (and did and still do) pocket a .50 piece.

The first chip that we bought was the El Rancho Vegas chip. We were collecting ashtrays at the time, and my husband saw and liked the ERV chip. He bought it, and I was thinking but we don't collect chips...!!??