This will be the last “Illegal Of The Day” post for 2010. I have thoroughly enjoyed posting them and hope other illegal chip collectors have enjoyed learning more about chips in their collections. The history is fantastic. I had major help from a “Friend Of The Hobby” putting it together. Some of it came out of my fading memory and from fellow club members like Dave Brown. There are others that helped. I am afraid to post all the names because I know I will leave someone off the list.

Thank you to all that helped. You have made a major contribution to “Preserving Gaming History” for future illegal chip collectors

Let me say it one more time:

Without the history, they are only little pieces of clay!

AND!

Remember, “You can’t get em all!”

But!

It sure is fun trying!

The year is ending good for me. I finally obtained a chip I’ve been advertising for on the BB for several months. It should arrive today. It will spawn one of the first “Illegal Of the” day posts for 2011. If you collect Chicago illegals be sure to watch for it.

There have been 93 “Illegal Of The Day” posts in 2010. 40 of them are reposted here.

http://www.marlowcasinochips.com/links/genetrimble/genetrimble.htm
Scroll down.

Hopefully the rest will be posted as soon as I can get Spragg off his as*.

Another one of my Kentucky chips I sent to try and get more info on. We did not learn much but a little more than we had. 73 years is a long time ago, especially if the buyer flew under the radar of local cops and newspapers.

Happy New Year to all.

Enough of that:

VJ In Star
Sam Workans
Kentucky Hotel
Louisville, KY
5 orders 1937-39

From my friend of the hobby:

VJ in star

Samuel G. Workans (sometimes spelled Warkans) was a native of Louisville who lived many different places (he shows-up in Cincinnati in the 1910’s and Dallas in the 1920’s); died at Bowling Green, KY in 1980, age 83.

The chips were delivered to him at the Kentucky Hotel, which was his residential address. I haven’t been able to determine where he may have used the chips. He owned several race horses and raced them in different parts of the country. One of his horses won at Suffolk Downs in May 1937, a few months prior to ordering the chips.

Workans was Jewish—don’t know if the 6 pointed star on the chip has any significance in that respect.

My notes:
I suspect the chips were bought for and used at some type of Jewish fraternal organization or private club, but there is no proof of that. It is way too many chips and orders for a home game chip.

Sam could very well have used them for private poker games or some form of gambling at the Kentucky Hotel. Until I hear something different I am leaving the Kentucky Hotel attribution as is.

Any of you Louisville boys want to take a shot at the Louisville library?