I have invited my collector friends and anyone that is involved in our hobby to send in any stories about their wayward ways and collecting of chips. Please be concise and very descriptive. Being weird, funny and crazy is up to you. Thanks guys for all the stories you have sent in thus far. Reggie

A GUEST AUTHOR’s HARVEST STORY

The Mint Porterville, CA

By James Eric Freedner

The Mint was a California cardroom that I found still had an active license and address in Porterville in 2009, so on my next travels to the central valley, I made a point of detouring to West Morton Avenue near downtown Porterville. But when I got there, I could not find it. (The cardroom, not Porterville; this is not a Twilight Zone episode.)
A year passed and I gained information on a new address for the Mint, so back I went to Porterville, this time to find: a residential house, garage open, somebody inside but obviously not playing poker. I left without stopping.
Yet another year, and this time I saw that The Mint was now listed in the state records as being on West Olive Avenue. Too crazy! Another journey out there -- and this time I found it -- a cardroom in a small strip mall. Going inside, I saw just two tables, card players at only one. But there was a cage staffed by an elderly gentleman who I took to be James Podergois, shown on state records as the owner.
I asked him if I could please buy some chips, and he looked rather sadly at me and said, "Today I'm giving out free chips." And he rummaged around and handed me a few green $1 chips, a couple of red fives, and to my surprise, a black $100 chip, with this admonition: "Don't ever come back here and try to cash these in."
I replied, "'Cuz that would be cheating. And I don't cheat!"
At which a broad smile crossed the man's face as he said, "You got it!!"
A year later, I drove back to Porterville - but the cardroom was gone, never to re-open. I will always treasure those chips, and the courtesy of an elderly casino owner on obvious hard times.
For the background of The Mint and its legal troubles with the Tule River Indian Tribe, you may see this internet posting:
The Rise and Fall of Tribal Administrator Rodney Martin | Carolyn Yeager
The Rise and Fall of Tribal Administrator Rodney Martin ...
By Carolyn Yeager Here is the story, as best I can put it together from the record of the Porterville Recorder, of Rodney Martin’s career with the Tule River Indian...