I have been doing a lot of research on Illegal Casinos/Clubs from Sydney, NSW & I'm now looking for some help in identifying more chips from the clubs/casinos listed below. This is what I have found so far but I know there are a lot more denominations out there and definately more clubs that I have not yet been able to identify. That was proven when John Bendict posted that there was a $100 Sorrento Jockey mold in an old TJH catalogue he had & that he knew of a couple having been traded at a Florida meeting some years ago.
These are a favourite part of my Aussie collection and I would love to add more to it or at least see more chips from these clubs. I've gotten addicted to history of these clubs! If anyone has any chips from any of the clubs listed below that I don't show here (except where noted that I need them) I would love to buy/trade, whatever, or at least be able to get a scan for my research. With the chips shown is a little information (addresses, dates etc) that I have managed to find about the illegal clubs/casinos so far. If you have any of these chips you'd like to share or any information if you were ever in Australia & visited any of the clubs I would love to hear about it.
Thanks for looking guys.
Cheers, Tim.
NOTE:All chips are believed to relate to clubs in and around Sydney NSW from the 50's to the 80's.
27 CLUB
Dates: unknown
Address: unknown
Notes: As yet no info found on this club.
BARCLAY CLUB (aka The Barclay Bridge & Social Club)
Dates: unknown
Address: The Barclay Hotel
17 Bayswater Rd, Bond i Junction, Sydney NSW
Notes: $50 & $100 chips seen by a journalist. (reported in Sydney Morning Herald Newspaper Nov. 1984)
Blackjack & Russian Poker (reported in Sydney Morning Herald Nov. 1985)
*Barclay Club chip scans courtesy of cashcoinconnection.com - Wanted for my collection!
BLACKJACK CLUB
Dates: unknown
Address: unknown
Notes: In an article in The Sydney Morning Herald in the mid 80's relating to The Le-Gal Club, it was mentioned that the owner was planning to run an offshore casino on his boat, Blackjack. I have not found evidence that this ever eventuated but have also not found any evidence of a land based illegal club called The Blackjack Club.
*Blackjack Club chip scans courtesy of cashcoinconnection.com - Wanted for my collection!
C.J.P
Dates: unknown
Address: unknown
Notes: This chip was with the other Sydney illegals when I got it. It is also on the Jockey mold which seems to have been the preference for the illegal clubs. I have no idea wether CJP is a persons initals or a club name abbreviation.
CARLISLE CLUB
Dates: unknown
Address: Carlisle House
1st Floor, 2 Kellett St, Kings Cross, Sydney NSW
Notes: One of the major illegal clubs running in Sydney in the 70's
*Carlisle Club chip scans courtesy of cashcoinconnection.com - Wanted for my collection!
CERCLE ELITE PRIVE
Dates: unknown
Address: unknown
Notes: Information I received when I purchased the $50 plaque was that this club was raided in the early 70's (as most illegal clubs & casinos in Syndey were) It was apparently reported on in the Sydney Morning Herald around 1974. Unfortunately a lot of the reporting listed addresses of known clubs & casinos but did not list the name of the club. As yet I have not found any reference to the club or a confirmed address.
Amazingly the $100 plaque was found in the pocket of an old coat donated to a Salvation Army store in Sydney.
FLEMINGTON
Dates: unknown
Address: unknown
Notes: I am yet to find any information or reference to this club.
*Flemington chip scan courtesy of cashcoinconnection.com - Wanted for my collection!
FORBES CLUB (became The Kings Cross Social Club c1979)
Dates: c1967-c1979
Address: 155 Forbes St, Woolloomoolo, Sydney NSW
Notes: One of the most well known & reported on club in Sydney in the 70's.
$2 & $5 chips reported purchased by journalists doing under cover stories (Sydney Morning Herald Jun. 1973 & again in Apr. 1977)
Baccarat, Roulette, American Roulette, Blackjack, Craps & Stud poker played (reported at various times in the Sydney Morning Herald during the 70's)
GOULBURN CLUB
Dates: early 1970's - late 1970's (open periodically during the early 80's)
Address: 51-55 Goulburn St, Sydney NSW
Notes: Another of the very popular & well known clubs in Sydney in the 70's.
Roulette & Blackjack (reported in SMH Apr. 1977)
*$20 chip scan courtesy of Gary Unwin - Wanted for my collection!
JR
Dates: unknown
Address: unknown
Notes: Mixed in with other Sydney Illegals. No info or idea if this even fits into the Sydney illegal chips.
KELLETT CLUB
Dates: ? - Jun 1967
Address: Kellett St, Kings Cross, Sydney NSW
Notes: Not a lot reported on this club. Interesting they used the Sqincir mold for their $5. Blackjack club also did & has a very similar design. May suggest he same owner.
LE-GAL CLUB
Dates: April 1984 - ?
Address: 1st Floor, 33 Albany St, Crows Nest, Sydney NSW 2065
Notes: $20 chip seen (reported in the SMH Nov, 1984)
Blackjack & Poker
OXFORD CASINO
Dates: unknown
Address: unknown
Notes: Have not found any specific details on the casino although there were at least 4 different casinos/clubs reported operating at different addresses in Oxford St, Darlinghurst, Sydney NSW during the 70's. I am assuming that these were from one of those establishments.
*$10 chip scan courtesy of Gary Unwin - Wanted for my collection!
SIXTYONE CLUB
Dates: unknown
Address: unknown
Notes: As with quite a few of the clubs they were names after the street number in which they operated. This may be the case with this club but I am yet to identify a 61 street address.
SORRENTO ROOM
Dates: unknown
Address: 1st Floor, 70-74 Ramsay Rd, Haberfield, Sydney NSW
Notes: $100 Jockey mold Chip reported by John Benedict from old TJH catalogue.
THE EMPRESS CLUB
Dates: unknown
Address: unknown
Notes: I found it strange that I cannot find any direct reference to this Club. I have found a lot of information on The Empress Coffee Lounge that was in Kings Cross but it is reported that they has chips marked "Empress Coffee Lounge". Whether it has been mis-reported or whether the "Coffee Lounge" became the "Club" I'm not sure. They may have actually never been deliverd as they are in almost new condition.
***I remember seeing an article in Casino & Token news that featured these chips (including the $1 & $100) but I have lost my copy of that particular issue!!
Additional Club Names Found
I have found reports of these clubs/casinos being confirmed operating but have never seen chips for them. Some may have been solely 2-up venues, used generic chips or they may have used cash only if they were a smaller club.
The Empress Coffee Lounge - Darlinghurst Rd, Kings Cross, Sydney NSW (Chips reported marked Empress Coffee Lounge)
The Falcons Nest - Falcon St, Crowns Nest, Sydney NSW
Golden Pelican Room - 27 The Entrance, The Entrance, Sydney NSW
The Links Coffee Lounge - The Boulevarde, Fairfield Heights, Sydney NSW
Four Corners Of The World Coffee Lounge - John St, Cabramatta, Sydney NSW
Colo Colo Club - John St Cabramatta, Sydney NSW
The Minton Bridge & Social Club - Bayswater Rd, ?, Sydney NSW
Tung Luck Club - Dixon St, Haymarket, Sydney NSW
The Palace (c1970's-?) Rockwall Cres, Potts Point, Sydney NSW ($2 chips reported, unknown if marked?)
77 Club - Darlinghurst Rd, Kings Cross, Sydney NSW
Double Bay Bridge Club (c1974/5 - c late1975) - South Head Rd, Double Bay, Sydney NSW
Rozelle Club - Darling St, Rozelle, Sydney NSW
33 Club (1968-1975) - Oxford St, Darlinghurst, Sydney NSW
Victoria Club (c1950's)(became Forbes Club) - Victoria St, Kings Cross, Sydney NSW
Kings Cross Social Club (c1979-c1982)(previously Forbes Club) - Forbes St, Woolloomoolo, Sydney NSW
The Telford Club (Dec1975-Jan1981) - Oxford St, Bond i Junction, Sydney NSW
The Argyle Club - Argyle St, Parramatta, Sydney NSW
No. 20 - Bayswater Rd, Kings Cross
Olympic Club - Crown St, Woollongong, Sydney NSW
Black Cat Milk Bar - Wentworth Rd, Port Kembla, Sydney NSW
Roslyn Social Club - ?
Fountain Club - Kings Cross, Sydney NSW
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