There has been a seller on
that has been selling those WHALE chips in both Bone & MOP for over a year. South American early casino? I think they are probably quite old. He says circa 1920 but they could be older than that by a few years or so I would guess. He is selling out of Uraguay and seems to have a never ending supply of them. Check his other items for sale because he has some nice South American Plaques for sale now too.
http://cgi.ebay.com/10-ANTIQUE-BONE-POKER-CASINO-CHIPS-WHALE-BLUE-A19_W0QQitemZ380189764360QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5885136b08
Seller secondhandjoe says, "The casinos from Uruguay played always with the system of French roulette. The chips that used were of bone for smaller values, and to nacre (mother of pearl) for the greater values (plaques). The bone chips normally was given them the value of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50. To those of nacre (mother of pearl) was given the value of 100 in forward. In the room or special tables was used nacre chips in all the values, to differentiate the room or the place of game being given more hierarchy (Nacre Room). Also was played with nacre in the tables of Punto y Banca (Bacara) for give greater hierarchy (Nacre Room)."
here--> http://cgi.ebay.com/WHALE-MOTHER-OF-PEARL-NACRE-OBSOLETE-CASINO-CHIP-6_W0QQitemZ380189784732QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item588513ba9c