I just bought this terrific rack of dealer chips. The chips are inlaid "O's", -- each chip is a small 1-1/4" diameter so they wouldn't be confused with the regular larger betting chips. You can have one of these unusual, rare, vintage chips for $5 each, postpaid. In "Antique Gambling Chips" the same "O" design is used in the POD and POF series of monogram 1-1/2" chips. (Even those are rare -- I happen own one of the rare 1-1/2" POD "O's", but not one of the smaller inlay 1-1/2" POF "O's".)
This gambling chip set, C. 1940, is from Riley’s Lake House in Saratoga Springs, New York, a lavish and extravagant restaurant and club where the gambling action took place out of sight, in the back rooms. The gambling scene in Saratoga became a local for the Mob when in the early 1930’s Charles “Lucky” Luciano and Meyer Lansky joined the cast of club owners.
These chips were kept in small walnut (often) marker racks (H 1-1/2 x W 3-1/4 x L 8 inches in the one pictured here) placed near the dealer on craps, roulette, baccarat, etc. tables. The chips are variously referred to as markers, marker chips, buttons, lammers, value markers, etc. They designated the values of chips, temporary options and bets at the tables, and indicate chips transactions (markers/IOU's, chip deliveries, etc.) at the table so the pit bosses and eye-in-the-sky knew what is going on. I have seen such chips as hot-stamped, engraved and inlaid, as these are. They are almost always 1-1/4", as these are. I am not sure exactly how these "O" chips would be used; any information would be appreciated.
Robert
These Star and Wreath crest and seal chips for sale -- $9.99 each:
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