At the Tropicana I found the red and gold versions of their card and a white temp card they must give out to somebody. Maybe new check-ins get them with their room key? Or they are handed out to players at the machines who are not using a card? I saw some guys at the Flamingo Hilton with a temp card who said they were given it by a slot host to use until they went to get a regular card. I noted Robert Pardue in his slot card checklist (recently on the Board) didn't have the new green Jerry's Nugget card that came out at least a couple of years ago. Here's what it looks like, Bob

As I wondered what I would ask Janice and Jerry about when I visited them, I thought I might ask if any card collectors ever got hassled by the casino in their collecting. Before I could do so...

On Saturday, April 8th, after I got back downtown, I decided to wander about before crashing for the night, and that night I figured to go over to Main Street Station for some video poker at their machines. I left the Fremont and went down Ogden Street. I cut into the California, going through the casino, and picked up a few cards laying on top of machines as I walked along. As I got near the north entrance, I was stopped by two security guards who asked me if I was staying at the Cal. I said I was staying at the Fremont, and they asked for ID. I produced my driver's license, which I keep handy for all the slot card booths that want it, and the guy called my name in over his radio. (What the???) He then asked for my social security number, and my curiosity and indignance surfaced when I asked what this was all about. He mentioned I had been seen picking up "their" Player's Gold Cards. I reached in my pocket, pulled out the few I had, (thank god I hadn't been someplace where I had a really big fistful!) and I handed them to him, noting they were just laying around abandoned by people. He then asked me to leave the premises. I did so, and went over to Main Street Station, feeling confused. Why aren't these guards after real criminals, like roulette harvesters? I have not decided yet if I want to send the Casino Manager at the Cal an indignint letter.

When I mentioned this to the O'Neals, they were shocked. They'd only heard of trouble collecting cards on far-away riverboats, never in Las Vegas. It would help the casino's argument if they didn't just leave the abandoned cards sit so long. But after that night I cut back on harvesting and made it a point to look hard at the pay table of a machine when I was sneakier in sliding an abandoned card off the top. Anybody else have a similar story to tell?