BL -- Personal chip of one of the owners of the famous Agua Caliente Hotel Casino (1928-35), Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico -- Baron Long. Story below the pictures. (Don't know why those question marks are in my post ).

¶ yellow
¶ shipped to the Baja California Co., Tijuana, Mexico, May 22, 1928, the very same date, and the adjoining invoice number, as USD-76. below.
¶ This BL chip, and the CJ chip in following post, are two of my most awesome discoveries! The BL chip was the private chip of one of the famous three "Border Barons" who built, owned and ran the Agua Caliente, Tijuana, Hotel-Casino -- Baron Long. (That was his birth name! Probably why the three owners were called "The Border Barons." � The term was applied just to the three owners of the Agua Caliente. � The third one was Wirt G. Bowman; no personal chips found for him.)
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The US Playing Card Co. records (picture above) show that both chips were shipped on May 22, 1928 to the Baja California Co., Tijuana, Mexico, which was owned by the "Border Barons." (The "Border Barons" were the three men who built, owned and ran Agua Caliente in Tijuana and lesser gambling establishments along the California-Mexico border in the 1920's-30's. Two of them were James Crofton ("JC" chip) and Baron Long ("BL" chip)). � Prof. Paul Vanderwood, the author of "Satan's Playground: Mobsters and Movie Stars at America's Greatest Gaming Resort [Agua Caliente]," has written me and confirmed that the JC- and BL-initial chips were personal chips of the two Border Barons. He says, "On the chips, 'JC' is most definitely the baron, James Crofton, who was in charge of the casino operation at the spa. 'BL' was Baron Long, also one of the entrepreneurs. .. .... Both men were vain promoters beyond belief. And they did hold big stake poker games for friends and others in their homes. Or, as I said, they organized and clandestinely staged illegal games on the U.S. side ... ." (The book is available at Amazon.com.)

I have about a dozen only. I'll take $45 each now for a few of the chips to test the waters.

Robert

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My auction for the $25 Agua Caliente casino chip ends at 10:44 AM (Eastern Time) today.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150463695925