One of Darrell's office co-workers called last week after Darrell had told her that we are involved in chip collecting. She said she had some old chips and tokens lying around and could I come and meet her for breakfast to look at them? Darrell had told her about the $1 Showboat chip, and she was wondering if her chips were worth anything. I loaded up my books, cleaning supplies, air-tites, etc. and headed into town early this morning with the hope that she might have "a treasure" (she's only a few months from retirement and could use an extra nest egg).

We managed to find a quiet corner in the employee lunch room and she pulled out a ziplock baggie containing 4 chips and 1 silver strike. I really thought I was going to be sick when I saw that the silver strike (from the Vegas Club) had been taken out of it's clear capsule and was now tarnished and unbelievably scratched....totally worthless. Two other chips were from the Colorado Belle and although beat up, I believe are still current chips. Third chip was an obsolete from TI, and once again was in very used condition. All the chips had chunks of black goo stuck on them (from the grandkids playing with them...ewwww!). I cleaned the chips the best I could and put them into air-tites with a gentle discussion about "condition, condition, condition".
The fourth chip floored me as I immediately noticed it was a Flamingo "4" chip (4th addition) ....wow!!
Here's the story.....
They got it as a newly married couple in LV many years ago as a souvenir of their stay at the Flamingo. She remembers the cage gal handing her the chip and saying, "here's a pretty one"....this is where it sends shivers down your spine.....Her husband decided to drill a hole in it and use it for a key chain !! For many years she carried it in her purse until the drill hole gave way and with it, a chunk of the chip. Notice the other huge chips at 5 o'clock and 8 o'clock.....stains...faded, and so badly warped that I couldn't get it in a chip air-tite - I had to put it in a silver strike air-tite.
Geeze, how do you nicely tell someone the value of the chip at one time was quite good ($2000+..?), but now worth literally nothing? She took it quite well and now knows how to take care of future "Vegas souvenirs".....ouch!
Sorry the picture is so lousy (the inserts are a very faded light green, HCE mold) , but all I had was the cheapy camera I keep in the car glove box.

I'm back at home now, but I swear my stomach is still alittle upset!