Chipping JIMnastics: Splashing Around Laughlin (Episode 98-1)

Welcome! I thought this might be a useful way to get information out to a greater number of collectors, rather than e:Mailing a few. Also, depending on reactions and other feedback, I plan to make future contributions regarding my collecting efforts. I thank you in advance, and hope you enjoy, Jim Follis (JDF).

Other than passing through in the past, last weekend was my first overnight stay (2 of them) in Laughlin, NV. And just like my many past visits to Las Vegas, I now have a reason to return there.... To visit my money! I stopped at all casino locations except Avi, Pioneer and Ramada Express. This weekend just happened to be the Grand Opening weekend for the River Palms (formerly Gold River), and every chip and token in the place was new. Every edge was sharp, and I was in heaven. Too bad I had already lost most of my stake. The River Palms, for the time being, will accept Gold River issues, but will not sell them back out of the cage. And to commemorate their Grand Opening they have issued a LE (2000) $5 chip, with individual serial numbers on each chip. When I bought, I got 1001 and 1002, but saw many others on the tables with lower numbers (8xx, and 9xx).

At the Colorado Belle I picked up some LE’s of past “River Runs” (‘96 & ‘97), and may get “Gator Days” on my next visit. The Edgewater had some turned-in obsolete $5, that they would sell from the cage (at face value) but with the understanding that if I came back they would not honor them at face value. I bought two, hope it was wise??? The Regency Casino still only opens it tables (BJ) once each month, for one shift only, just to keep their license valid. I never seem to be there at the right time, and unless the table(s) is/are open, the chips remain in the vault, unavailable. Oh well, maybe next time.

Over at the Flamingo Hilton I found several items of interest. First of all, they support “chipping” and have a nice display of other casino’s chips at the front entrance. However, they do not know that they were selected as Chip-of-the-Year (COTY) by CC&GTCC. Unfortunately, I could not remember which chip was selected, so I had to buy them all <vbg>. I’m still without the ‘98 COTY. While at the cage, I asked if they had a “corvette” commemorative and as usual the answer was LOL! The cage explained to me that the reason there are no “corvettes” to be had, is because some time back they went through an exercise to search all stacks in the vault and on all tables for any and all “corvettes”. All of which were then sold to one person; an un-named collector. Does this explain the TCR valuation for that one chip, or does the valuation explain the collector’s action?

While I was at the cage, I also asked if they had any obsoletes. I was thinking of the Trimble definition of obsolete, but they were thinking foreign chips and produced two. One was a $1 from the Tropicana (N7864), while the other was a $5 Pioneer (N2355). I purchased both at face value and am rather pleased with each, but especially the Pioneer!

Saturday we went “Garbage Sailing” (looking for garage sales), but turned-up nothing except for a few bargains on hand-tools. Later on, I stumbled into a deal when I made a passing comment to a store clerk that I collected chips. He said that he had a cigar box of chips and he could meet me at 1:00 am, after he got off from work. Now, I’m from out of town and this non-chipper wants to sell me chips at 1:00 am for cash. Was I nervous? Yes, I was. Was I curious? You bet. Was it good? I think so.

His cigar box had 4 chips: a current $1 Riverside, a $1 from the closed Del Webbs Nevada Club (N3421), a .50 (cents) from the same place (N8816), and a .50 (cents) from the Riviera (N2064). The box also contained 24 $1 tokens from various casinos. Nearly all had mint dates in the late 70’s. Most were in good condition, but some were only fair. They included two Circus Circus, four Caesars Palace, and one each from the Frontier, Golden Nugget, Barbary Coast, Castaways, Mint, Silver Slipper, Eldorado Club, Showboat, Sam’s Town, Gold Strike Inn, Railroad Pass, Holiday Casino, Orbit Inn, Sands, Searchlight Nugget, Crystal Palace, Flamingo Hilton (Laughlin), and Colorado (which later became the Colorado Belle according to the seller).

Well, last, but not least, while at the Harrah’s cage they offered discontinued $7 silver tokens. By discontinued, they meant that the slot machine used to dispense them to lucky winners was no longer being used. The remaining supply of coins is only available from the cage, and sucker that I am, I bought.

I don’t seem to understand it. I tell my wife that I started collecting to avoid leaving all my money at the casino. But she claims that it would be cheaper to just simply cover the gambling losses!

‘til my next trip, regards to all,

JDF (R-3872)