WHILE STILL LIVING IN SO.CALIFORNIA ... I WOULD VISIT LAS VEGAS AROUND 4 TIMES A YEAR. ONE TIME IN THE EARLY 1980'S WE STAYED AT THE DIAMOND OF THE DUNES TOWER AND IN THE GIFT SHOP ON THE COUNTER IN A BOWL WAS A BUNCH OF $100 THUNDERBIRD CHIPS DRILLED AND MADE INTO KEY CHAINS. I REMEMBER ASKING THE CASHIER WHERE THEY GOT THESE CHIPS? SHE STATED THEY WERE THE MAITRE D'S FROM THE SULTANS TABLE UPSTAIRS. LIKE AN IDIOT I ONLY PURCHASED ONE CHIP / CHAIN FOR ABOUT $3 DOLLARS ... LATER THAT EVENING I CALLED THE SULTANS TABLE AND SPOKE TO (BILL BORLAND) AND MET WITH HIM AT HIS RENO AVE. STORE. I WAS LIKE A KID IN A CANDY STORE ... HE SOLD ME SOME OF THE FANTASY DUNES $100'S AND SOME OTHER REAL CHIPS FROM CLOSED STRIP CASINOS. HE HAD A LARGE DELTA AIRLINES TRAVEL POSTER ON THE WALL ... WHAT MADE IT SO COOL WAS IT HAD 6 GIANT PHOTOS OF ALL THE FAMOUS LAVEGAS STRIP HOTEL $5 CHIPS ON THE POSTER. I ASKED AND ASKED AND ASKED IF HE WOULD SELL ME THE POSTER ... NO DICE HE LOVED IT AS MUCH AS I DID. A COUPLE OF YEAR'S LATER I RE-VISITED HIS WHSE / STORE AND THIS TIME SOME YOUNGER HIPPIE KIND OF GUY WAS WORKING THE STORE ... I WAS TOLD THEY WERE CLOSING FOR GOOD ... I NEVER THOUGHT TO ASK HOW MUCH? .... LASTLY I WENT BACK A FEW WEEKS LATER AND THE STORE HAD ALL KINDS OF OFFICAL LEGAL PAPERS STUCK ON THE WINDOW AND DOOR .. I GUESS THAT'S WHEN JEEY WALL BOUGHT THE BUSINESS ... HERE IS A CHIPGUIDE PHOTO OF THE $100 THUNDERBIRD CHIPS HE WAS SELLING FOR ABOUT $3 DRILLED ... IF I ONLY KNEW! .... THANKS FOR READING MY LITTLE STORY .... RICH BURGEL

* picture courtesy chipguide