I was searching old files for info on a white Arrowhead Inn chip. May be the only one I am missing.
I ran across this email string. Thought you might like to see how and who was in involved in confirming the chips were real. Probably way more info than most of you will want to wade through.

The Players:
Myself
The owner of the chips.
Doc Myers
Jim Blanchard, the man with the Burt Records.

____

Gene,

About 50 years ago, my wife's grandfather was co-owner of the Zanzibar. We were cleaning up an old desk of his earlier this week and found six $5 chips in a brown box from the Langworthy company from Detroit. But I think they were manufacturer's errors: instead of NLV at the bottom of the inlay (i'm working my way up a new learning curve here) they have NLY. Otherwise, they look exactly like Mr. Rizzo's (sp?) specimens on oldvegaschips.com. At first I'm thinking "cool...if I ever have another poker party these will be fun to use." Then I realize these may be rare collectibles. This is my first effort at scanning and attaching too, so let me know if there are ways to do it better.

Have you seen this one before? Are there lots out there? Do collectors treat manufacturing errors the same way coin collectors (I was a onetime amateur collector of Morgans) treat Mint misstrikes? If so, these might be rare chips. Anyway, in 48 hours I'm halfway to being a chip collector (don't tell my wife)

I don't think these chips have ever been out of this box, but the box label says 100 so there must have been a lot more at one time. I'm still looking for more in boxes, bags, etc.

Thanks for your time.

John

Hi John,
I am copying Allan Myers with this reply. He wrote the Chip Rack, our bible on NV chip values.
No, I have not seen your chip.

Allan, when you reply, click “Reply to All” instead of Reply. Have you ever seen this error chip?

I am an error chip collector and have many different pieces. I would make you an offer for one, but I am not sure what to make on this one. Most errors that survive are newer chips.
IMO, your chips were shipped to the Zanzabar with the error by mistake. The entire order of this denomination could have been shipped as errors. The Zanzabar could have noticed it, had new corrected ones shipped and destroyed or returned all but your 5 chips.

To some degree we do but they never reach the prices for error coins. I did coins back in the 60’s so I know a little about them. Value can also vary greatly due to which Casino’s name is on it. I buy a lot of errors for $75 to $150. A Caesars Palace error would cost double depending on what the error is. I am not sure about yours as it is so old.
There are very few error collectors in our hobby, but that might not apply in your case since the chips are so old. Allan should have a better handle on this aspect.
I do not have the real chip, Allan will have it. Allan is the inlay exact to the real one with NLV?

Someone would have to see one of the chips. At this time we are seeing home made inlays showing up on old chips. Since your chips are UNC, the cross hatching should be perfectly preserved.
I would like a chance at one, once I determine its worth.

Thanks for the scan. Hopefully Allan is home tonight, if not he will answer tomorrow.
What say ye DOC?

Gene,

Thanks for getting back. Been messing with my scanner, enlarged the image and lightened it. I don't know if this chip is as beautiful as I think it is, or if I'm just catching the "chip bug."

Some questions for Allan:

The Zanzibar was open I think from 1946 to 1964. Were there several chip varieties over that long period, or did they just use the same one? And how many even normal ones are known to exist in Uncirculated condition? Would there be any way of knowing (within one or two years) how old these chips are? Grandpa's name was Nelson "Mitch" Mitchell. He was also part owner, later of the Embassy and the Silver Dollar Saloon. He did not own the Zanzibar over its entire life, and I would assume these were chips he or his partners ordered. And how can I find out more about Langworthy? Do they still produce chips?

(Oh, I think a have the bug...)

So Gene, my collection has 6 chips (all the same). How big is yours? Can I view them online?

I'm in big trouble.

John
I will send a complete report when I get home tonight. There were 8 different licenses for the Zanzibar between 1945 -1965, all at the same address, 1818 N. Main St. Your wife's grandpa was a part owner during the 5th ownership, 1958-1961.
More later,
Allan Meyers

Hi John and Gene,
I have not seen this $5 Zanzibar error chip before. I have the correct chip (N.L.V.) in almost uncirculated condition in both the $5 and $25 denominations. Both chips have the Rectangle mold, distributed by Western Casino Supply in the early 1950's. Gene, these chips do not have the normal cross-hatching that we see on most chips of this period. The white, round inlays are smooth and shiny and there is no cross-hatching even on the base color. The inlays have not been removed, as I can feel the edge of the inlay with my finger nail.

These chips, like mine with the correct spelling, are not rare nor valuable. We list the $5 in VGD condition at 125.00. Another price guide lists it for 120. in New condition and 80. in VGD. It is difficult to place a value on an error chip but most that I have seen at this leval and age, sell for about double the non-error chip. I can say that Gene is one of the most honest persons I have known and I have never known him to falsify information regarding to value, condition or knowledge of chips or tokens.

Thanks you for letting me see your scan as I would like to list the chip in our next edition. I hope that I have been of some assistance.

Take care,
Allan Myers
KMW Publishing Co.
PO Box 17002
Louisville, KY 40217

Gene,

I found three more! They were in an old jewelry box along with a single Zanzibar die. They've been lying on their faces all these years (the others were stacked on end in the corner of the original shipping box). I don't know if that makes any difference. These look about like the others - great!

The box was in a garbage bag that was going to the dump. Needless to say, we're being more careful now - it would be a shame to have pieces that have survived all this time and then just thrown away! So what used to be drudgery now takes on the air of diamond mining! Unfortunately this mine's almost played out - there's just a few more boxes to go through.

No, I don't live in NV. I've practiced chiropractic for over 25 years in Lynnwood, WA and live in Everett, WA. Any chapters out here?

What's a poker manager? Something like a Pit Boss?

I want to thank you again for your help. You seem to be well regarded in the field, not just by Allan but by the nature of the posts you get from so many people on the message board. Other people want to talk to me, but I'm inclined to hang with you. Any thoughts?

Gene
I'm aware of this error chip. Made in 1962 (1100 $5 and 400 $25). The Burts seemed not to know what the letters "NLV" ment and the order was made "NLY". When the error chips arrived in LV the mistake was discovered. About 2 months later a replacement order was made. I'm not sure if the errors were ever put in play? I think the errors were returned to Burt after the correct chips were made. All but maybe 6?
Jim Blanchard
Atlantic Standard owns Burt Company’s old molds and actually worked at Burt.
Hi John,

I see that Gene has given you some valuable information on the Zanzibar & the chips. Here is what I have gathered from "Harvey Fuller's Index of Navada Gaming Establishments", from the original NV gaming licenses and translated by Howard Herz. 1991:

Zanzibar, 1818 N. Main St., N. Las Vegas
1. 3-30-45 to 10-2-46, Owner--Edwards, licensed for slots, 21, craps, roulette
2. 10-3-46 to 1-7-49, Owner--Pike, licensed for the same games
3. 1-7-49 to 1-29-51, Owner--Saconis, same games
4. 1-29-51 to 8-14-55, Owner--McKnight, et.al., same games for this and all subsequent owners
Zanzibar Tavern (name change on license)
5. 8-15-55 to 9-30-58 (No owners listed by Herz)
6. 10-6-58 to 11-6-61, Owner--Mitchell, et.al.
Zanzibar Club (name change on license)
7. 11-6-61 to 10-25-64 (No owners listed by Herz)
Zanzibar (name reverted to original)
8. 10-26-64 to 1965, Owner--Brown, et.al.

Here are the licenses for the Embassy Club at 1804 N. Main St, N. Las Vegas:
1. 1-5-45 to 1-7-47, Owner--Fumace, et.al., Licensed for slots, 21, craps, poker
2. 1-8-47 to 1-4-48, Owners--Freeman, et.al. "
3. 1-5-48 to 7-57, Owners--Mitchell, et.al. "

Silver Dollar at 2501 E. Charleston:
1. 1964 to 9-30-65, Owner Gusman, slots, 21, craps, poker
2. 1968 to 1969, Owner--Laron, et.al., same games
3. 1973 to 10-28-75, Owner--Bill Ladd, et.al., same games
Silver Dollar Saloon, same address
4. 10-29-75 to 1996, Owners Bill Ladd, et.al.

This is what collector, author & historian, Doug Saito has to say about the Zanzibar: "Nearly two dozen individuals have been associated with ownership of the Zanzibar, the Zanzibar Club and/or the Zanzibar Tavern from the time it started in 1945 until its end in 1965. Except for its first ownership from 1945 to 1947, no changes were made in the number of table games that each gambling licensee was allowed to operate. There were always a maximum of three table games, usually one each of blackjack, craps and poker, and sometimes in other combinations, such as two blackjack and one crap table. Other casinos to occupy the same location were Gay 90's in the later 1960's, Foxxy Lady in the 1970's, which was 99% strip club and 1% gaming. Today, it's still a strip club located across the street from Jerry's Nugget."

As for the chips, they were usually changed when a new owner took over. They would not chance that a previous owner would have a friend slip the old chips into the games. However, if a partner was added to the ownership, there would be no need to order new chips. We only know of 5 sets of chips. I don't think that we have any chips that were used in the first three ownerships. I believe that the Rectangle mold, like your chips were used by McKnight, et.al., 1951 to 1955. I believe that your chips were found in the club when Mitchell and others, took over in 1958. Mitchell, et.al., most likely used the Square-In-Circle mold chips. I would guess that the HUB mold chips, marked "Zanzibar Club", were used 1961-1964, because of the name change on the license. However, any chips could have been used that the owners chose, either previous ones or chips that they ordered. Perhaps, Herz or Bud Meyer, can tell us when they were ordered. They have file cards on these molds and can look up the dates and the names on the cards.

I know that this is very confusing to a new collector such as you, John, but you are getting a good initiation. I hope this has helped and good luck.

Take care,
Allan