Rich Hanover posted a picture of the G. CARO Chip Display earlier today. See the post below.
I have seen and examined the G. CARO Chip Display in person. The Display is about 4 feet high by 8 feet long. This Display of Ivory. MOP chips and Medals dates from the late 1800s until the early 1900s. The Display originally hung over the Main Reception Desk at the CARO Headquarters in France. The chips were originally behind a 2 inch thick sheet of glass !! Before the Display was "crated up" for shipment to California the glass was removed (I believe actually smashed out) to decrease the weight of the Display and significantly reduce the shipping costs from France to California.
There are 85 assorted chips and medals in the Display. All the chips are attached to a cloth backing of some kind. The owner has not tried to remove any items from the Display because he does not want to damage them and he feels the Display should remain intact. As far as value is concerned, the owner figured the Display was worth between $15,000 and $20,000 !!
I saw the Display about five years ago on a trip to Southern California. The Display was leaning against a wall in the living room with a sheet draped over it. This is a very large item and hard to display properly in the average home. I have not talked to the owner in a few years and I do not know if the Display is currently available for sale. It definitely is a Great piece of Gambling History that should be hanging in a Museum or a Casino somewhere for Chip Collectors and others to view and enjoy.
Take care,
Jerry
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