Rene got the 1st ones from the casino Mgr of the Golden Gate.
They came out of his kids toy box.
I still have 2 emails from him in 1999 about:
"Golden Gate owner asked me to find out if there is still a market for our old
$100 gray Golden Gate Club checks."

If I remember right it was a few years later Rich got some. I don't remember where he got them. I think he told. Ask him.