The E-Sylum:  Volume 8, Number 43, October 9, 2005, Article 5

MILLION-DOLLAR CASINO CHIP AND TOKEN AUCTION

This morning an article datelined Reno, NV publicized an upcoming
auction of collectible casino chips and tokens touted as a "million
dollar collection." with a matching minimum bid.

"It's not unusual to see chips and tokens from Nevada casinos pop
up on eBay and other online auction sites.

It is unusual when a collection of chips and tokens go on sale with a
minimum bid of $1 million. That will be the case on Tuesday when
"The Platinum Collection" is made available to bidders.

The collection is made up of 6,600 chips and tokens that date
from the 1950s -- the centerpiece of which has a direct connection
to Reno. That piece is a platinum $1 token made by the Franklin
Mint in 1965 for Reno gaming magnate Bill Harrah. The Platinum
Collection of gaming chips and tokens is named for the Harrah piece."

"It's not a reproducible collection," says Howard Herz, owner
of Gaming Archaeology and author of the soon-to-be published
Illustrated Standard Guide to Nevada Gaming Tokens. "If you
went out today and attempted to build a similar one, you couldn't
do it. You'd have to own pieces from this collection in order to try."

"Chips in the Platinum Collection date from the beginning era of
legalized gambling in Nevada in 1931, to rare issues used at the
large Las Vegas strip casinos, as well as those in Lake Tahoe
and Reno. Many are from clubs that were shuttered years ago.

The eBay auction is scheduled to begin Tuesday and run for
10 days. The final hammer will come down at 3 p.m. on Oct. 21."

To read the complete article, see Full Story

For more information about the Platinum Collection, go to: Full Story

  Wayne Homren, Editor

	coinbooks.org Web

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