As one who owns one of the "marbleized" Hard Rock brass cores you speak of, I'd like to note that these items were never issued by the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, yet were souvenir / novelty items sold at the Hard Rock Cafe in either money clips, bolo ties or belt buckles. While they do have some value to those of us that collect such items, most collectors know that these "altered" items are simply novelty items that have been modified with no intent to defraud. And I don't believe that twenty years from now these items will be viewed as "original"...unique maybe, but not original.

Steve B