I collect Put & Takes so was delighted to pick up this gem for only $10: a small Put & Take punchboard disguised as a matchbox, something that could be used as a trade stimulator in a store. I had written this about it:

llegal Put & Take punchboard "trade stimulator" disguised as a common match box. Really great item. It would be left on the counter of a store near the cash register. When the customer is given change, he is given the opportunity to make a small wager with the change. He can push the punchboard through the matchbox and punch out a paper which tells him whether he lost 10, 15 or 25 cents, or whether he won 25, 50 or 100 cents! It is, of course, disguised as a harmless match box so the police and bluenoses will ignore it in plain sight, while those "in the know," or known to the owner, will spot it for gambling. Actually such disguised punchboards were probably well known, but kept "disguised" so as not to ostentatiously force the sight of them on children and others.

The instruction sheet tells the store owner that the customer will win ("take") 12 times, lose ("put") 48 times, with a net profit to the owner of $3.50 from 60 punches.

The dealer described it as, "UNPUNCHED PUT & TAKE 60 HOLE PUNCHBOARD IN A MATCH BOX -- Great little item is 2-1/4" x 1-3/8" x 5/8" and slides into a match box (Protecto wooden cover) - Unpunched and comes with a little instruction sheet.

Here are some pictures:

My Put and Take sales list:
http://www.antiquegamblingchips.com/PutNTakesForSale.htm

My Put and Take collection page:
http://www.antiquegamblingchips.com/putandtake.htm

Robert