Casino Chip of the Day

Quote: Nareed

Is it half scale, or half as tall?

I may not have understood your question correctly. Usually, saying that something is "half scale" means that it is half the dimension of the original in each displayed dimension. This means that a half-scale line is 1/2 as long, a half-scale drawing is 1/4 the area, and a half-scale solid object has 1/8 the volume of the original. I think that the Las Vegas Eiffel Tower is (very nearly) half as tall, half as wide, and half as "deep" as the one in France.

I have not investigated the matter enough to know whether the structural details (i.e., how many braces are used to make up a beam) duplicate the original, but I suspect that it is designed and built to look very much like the original and be half as big in each direction. Scaling the structure down should present a less-intense demand on individual elements. Most designer/builders in history have encountered that in the other direction -- they try to scale a small model up to a desired size and find that it collapses under its own weight, while the small model (with every piece scaled in every dimension) held up just fine.

Here's my Paris chip. My fiancee and I stayed at Paris in October of 2010. Our eventual room was amazing. Unfortunately, despite the fact that I reserved a non-smoking red room design online, all they had when we checked in was a deluxe smoking room. The desk clerk seemed to think that was no big deal. After I talked to both the desk supervisor and a host, I managed to get them to understand that both downgrading the room and only having a smoking room available was doubly unacceptable. They were able to move us, but not until the next morning.

We very much enjoyed our time at Paris. Good crepes, good games, beautiful design.

On scaling: I think scale models also have scaled line widths. Presumably, the supports in Vegas are not half as wide as the supports in france. Also, is the observation deck in Vegas 1/2 the size as the french deck? (I've never been...). I'd expect the vegas tower to be shorter, but with a large observation area.

Here's my Paris chip. It was odd being in Bally's and getting a Chipco "Paris/Bally's" chip, then going to Paris and seeing that the chips there were very different, traditional Paulson's.

Quote: Ayecarumba

Here's my Paris chip.

Good, that's exactly like the one I have. Thanks for sparing me the trouble of phtographing and posting it :)

Quote: Doc

and a half-scale solid object has 1/8 the volume of the original.

I admit I forgot the square and cube law....

Still, the observation area seems awfully small.

Quote: rdw4potus

My O'sheas chip

Here's my O'Sheas chip. I'm not sad to see this one go. It was roudy, smelled of beer, and had bad games to boot. I suppose that CZR could probably find a way to make the Linq even worse somehow.

I know that a lot of people did not like O'Sheas, especially because of the zero 3/2 BJ tables. However, to me, O'Sheas WAS Las Vegas. I had an awful lot of fun there many times, and getting comped Beer Pong games on my rewards card is right up there with the best experiences of all my trips to Vegas. Rest in Peace, O'Sheas. I still love ya.

Quote: Nareed

Given that the Wynn/Encore is a simialr concept (ie two high end hotel/casinos next to each other), I wonder

1) Who copied whom

2) Why hasn't the Venetian/Palazzo gottena single word nickname liek the Wynncore did?

To remedy number 2, I proppose calling them "The Panitian." I like that a lot better than "The Venazzo," which comes up now and then in casual conversation.

I like it, but think it would be more clear if we called it "Palitian"

Quote: rdw4potus

I'd expect the vegas tower to be shorter, but with a large observation area.

You (and I) might expect Vegas to have a large observation area, but I found it to be tiny and crowded. If it truly were done at half scale, that deck should have 1/4 the area. Of course, even in Las Vegas the elevators are not sized for midgets, so there could be disproportionate "lost" space for observers. I suppose the perimeter of the deck should be 1/2 the perimeter of the deck in Paris. I have never been to the real one myself.

My wife and I took a peek into the restaurant, which is on a lower level and uses a different elevator, and I think the view is much nicer from there than from the top. Unfortunately, if you wanted to get photos of everything (as in a panorama) from there, you would need to climb over a bunch of people's tables to snap your shots, and you would be shooting through glass, probably getting a bunch of reflection.

State: Nevada
City: Reno
Casino: Peppermill

The Peppermill Hotel Casino in Reno first opened in 1971 as a coffee shop and lounge and expanded into gaming in 1980. It is owned by Peppermill Casinos, Inc., which now owns six casinos with five hotels in Reno, Sparks, Henderson, and Wendover and claims to be the largest privately owned gaming company in Nevada. I don't know how to verify or challenge that.

Unlike any other resort in the U.S., the Peppermill has constructed an on-site geothermal energy system that can provide all of the water heating, space heating, and pool and spa heating in the entire resort, and provide some of the space cooling. They have done some preliminary studies for generating electricity from the geothermal source, but only a rather small fraction of their electric power demand can be met in that manner.

Last fall, the Peppermill was the very first Reno casino that I ever visited, going directly there from the Reno airport to pick up a little late lunch and play a little craps, then dropping by the Atlantis for a few minutes more before heading out to Lake Tahoe. It was a brief visit at the Peppermill, but at least I won enough to pay for lunch, cover my losses at Atlantis, and have about two bucks change left over – not a bad first day from my perspective.

The Peppermill chip shown below is a blue RHC Paulson hat and cane chip with six white edge inserts. The MOGH catalog says that this chip was issued in 2005. All of the blue clay fluoresces under UV light, but there are no hidden images.

The MOGH catalog shows eight different $1 chips and four different $5 chips that have been used at the Peppermill, not counting the limited edition chips. With that much variety around from a 32-year-old casino, I'm hoping we can get a number of different images posted today. Who's got some?

Is the insert on the Peppermill chip supposed to be white, but has aquired a patina over time, or is it actually tan?

Were any Peppermil properties associated with the growing, harvesting, or processing of pepper? Or is it just a "spicy" sounding moniker?

Here's my Peppermill chip. I kind of like the extremely gaudy Peppermill theme. It's worse in Wendover, but the one in Reno is pretty neon as well.

Quote: Ayecarumba

Is the insert on the Peppermill chip supposed to be white, but has aquired a patina over time, or is it actually tan?

I'm not really sure what it is supposed to be, but my $1 chip, the one like it shown in the MOGH catalog, and a similar one in that catalog (different base chip but the same inlay) all have center inlays with a distinctly other-than-white color. They all have a gray-tan tint, with it darker near the outer edge and lighter in the center.

There is also a $5 Peppermill chip that uses that same center inlay, marked as $5 of course. I thought rdw4potus might show us one of those, but with his strong penchant for collecting commemorative chips, he posted the one with a fetish super-heroine in a jester costume. ;-)

Quote: rdw4potus

Here's my Peppermill chip. I kind of like the extremely gaudy Peppermill theme. It's worse in Wendover, but the one in Reno is pretty neon as well.

Very nice. But this is one time where smal details can spoil s good idea, or at least it comes close. In this isntance a quick look make it seem like someone punched the poor harlequin in the eye.

Actually, RDW's chip kinda confirms that the $1 chip is as it is supposed to be.

Sure, it looks like the tan could be aging, and not as pronounced in the center where the chip gets the most thumb contact, but RDW's chip shows the same very gradual circular fading, but in a different color, and in the opposite direction. You only get that intentionally, in the printing process.

Quote: Nareed

In this isntance a quick look make it seem like someone punched the poor harlequin in the eye.

Maybe she deserved it. Looks like that b*tch played a royal flush....

State: Nevada
City: Laughlin
Casino: Pioneer

The Pioneer is the smallest full casino in Laughlin and is covered in the Wizard's Laughlin Review. He commended the casino for "having the only full pay Three Card Poker table in Nevada", giving the Pairplus bet a house edge of just 2.32%.

The Pioneer opened in 1979 as the Colorado Club and had the first slot players' club in Nevada. It was a sister property to the Pioneer Club on Fremont Street while both were owned by Margaret Elardi. The hotel-casino maintains a western theme, and Mrs. Elardi added to that aspect by having a clone of Fremont Street's Vegas Vic constructed and installed in Laughlin. You can judge their similarities for yourself in this photo showing River Rick along side Vegas Vic. West Wendover's "Wendover Will" looks quite different.

Since 2004, the Pioneer in Laughlin has been owned by Archon Corporation, whose principal shareholder and CEO is Paul Lowden, husband for almost 30 years of former beauty contest winner, teacher, TV news anchor, and politician Sue Lowden, who serves as director, Executive VP, and Secretary-Treasurer of the company.

I first went in the Pioneer on my initial visit to Laughlin in April 2008 and collected my souvenir chip then. I have walked past it and perhaps through it on subsequent visits while wandering the riverwalk, but I don't think I have played there again.

The chip shown below is a blue SCV Paulson hat and cane design with no edge inserts. The center inlay reveals significant texture from the chip and includes two copies of the logo with the cowboy hat atop a capital P. The MOGH catalog says that this chip was issued in 1989, and (neglecting the minor ding in the lower left rim) it shows remarkably little wear over the almost twenty years of use before I picked it up. Neither the clay nor anything on the center inlay fluoresces under UV light.

Here's my Pioneer chip. This is another case where I just couldn't bring it into focus. I do think that Doc is right that shooting from farther away would have helped. But, I shot all of my chips from the same height and some are much sharper than others.

I think that Pioneer is the only casino in Laughlin that I've visited one time only. I thought it was a perfectly fine casino, but they never sent any mailers of any kind, so I've never returned.

When I was in Arizona, the Pioneer sent me a mailer for two free anytime nights, plus some freeplay and food, which I took advantage of. It is the only offer I really feel was not worth free. The rooms are below average, dirty, and in old buildings. The food in the restaurant was atrocious. For gambling, I remember they had some sort of bingo card with bonuses for four-of-a-kind, so 9/6 Jacks was plus E.V. Anyway, I played for hours on the coin dropper machine and didn't fill out the whole card, but got some bonuses. It just wasn't very fun. I don't think I'd ever go back to Laughlin again when Vegas is only 35 minutes further.

The clientele in Laughlin is also ... interesting. If you like tramp stamps and Natural Light, this is the place for you.

Quote: teddys

The clientele in Laughlin is also ... interesting. If you like tramp stamps and Natural Light, this is the place for you.

Or blue-hairs, or musical performers you'd assumed were dead...:-)

To me, Laughlin has 2 redeeming features: Harrah's has a free room for me 365 days/year, which is nice since Vegas is so close; and Riverside has a reliably entertaining UTH table (albeit with a less-than-optimal pay table).

Quote: teddys

... I don't think I'd ever go back to Laughlin again when Vegas is only 35 minutes further.

Just how fast do you drive? Google Maps estimates the driving time from Laughlin to Las Vegas as 1 hour 53 minutes. I guess a time differential depends quite a bit on your starting point, but even if you are starting in Phoenix or Kingman, then Laughlin is more than an hour closer than Las Vegas. Now if you were starting just on the Arizona side of Hoover Dam, then ....

Quote: Doc

Just how fast do you drive? Google Maps estimates the driving time from Laughlin to Las Vegas as 1 hour 53 minutes. I guess a time differential depends quite a bit on your starting point, but even if you are starting in Phoenix or Kingman, then Laughlin is more than an hour closer than Las Vegas. Now if you were starting just on the Arizona side of Hoover Dam, then ....

Oops. Yeah, I guess I meant to the Hacienda, which is where I usually ended up anyways. (They really got me with that first-over-the-border location.)

State: Nevada
City: Las Vegas
Casino: Planet Hollywood

Today I am posting my 100th chip in this thread. I think that's a bit of a milestone worthy of note. Unfortunately, there are other issues that I guess should be mentioned, too.

First, I should say that I am heading out on a little trip tomorrow morning, so this will be my last Casino Chip of the Day posted for about a week. I hope to add three chips to my collection on this trip. Perhaps in my absence there will be full discussion of this petty second issue and whether I handled it appropriately:

Maybe this chip should have been the very first one I posted, since the mold impression says it is from the Aladdin, which would place it ahead of Aliante Station in first place. I collected this chip while the hotel casino was in the process of making the name change, and, although they had changed the chips' center inlays to say Planet Hollywood, the base chip mold had not been changed. I think of it as a "Planet Hollywood" chip, since that name is much more evident than the "Aladdin" name that you almost have to search for.

I should admit that the MOGH catalog says this chip was issued in 2005 and has it listed with the other Aladdin chips rather than with the other Planet Hollywood chips. The catalog shows a similar "Aladdin" chip also issued in 2005 with a center inlay that says of the Planet Hollywood name, "Coming 2006". Then among the Planet Hollywood chips there are none with issue dates earlier than 2007. I guess the new name was still "coming" throughout 2006 and didn't quite get there until 2007.

I don't remember on just which visit to Las Vegas I picked up the souvenir, so I'll just file this sequencing matter under "I don't really know why" along with some of my alphabetizing decisions. But feel free to discuss this while I am out of town. I'll catch up on comments when I get back if I don't read them on my phone while I am traveling.

Of course, this was not the first name change for the casino – there have been lots of changes in name and ownership, plus an unhealthy supply of financial difficulties. The establishment opened in 1963 as the Tally-Ho, with an English theme, and a year later was renamed King's Crown. The business venture failed when it was denied a gaming license – I don't know the why of that either.

The property was sold and made over into an Arabian Nights theme with a Middle-Eastern decor, which seems to fit with such other establishments as Sands, Sahara, and Dunes. It reopened in 1966 with the Aladdin name, a Baghdad Theater and a 9-hole golf course. There were other ownership changes and facility makeovers and expansions in the 1960s and 70s. It was closed by the NGCB in 1979 after multiple people were convicted in Detroit for allowing hidden owners to control the casino.

Wayne Newton and a partner bought the place in 1980, with Newton selling out less than two years later while fighting allegations of mafia involvement. The place went into bankruptcy twice in 1984 and '87 under different owners. There was another sale in 1994, and the place was closed in 1997, with an on-site liquidation sale the following year. After an implosion and complete reconstruction, the casino hotel reopened in 2000 (sometimes being called the New Aladdin) only to go into bankruptcy again and be sold in 2003 to Planet Hollywood. The casino and hotel remained open for the ensuing round of renovations that took place over several years and incorporated the name change at some poorly-defined point along the way. Financial problems continued; Caesars Entertainment began buying up the debt and took over ownership and operation in 2010.

All-in-all, I would call that a colorful and not particularly impressive history. It's not as if an old established casino started to fray around the edges and finally died; it's more as if the place never got on solid footing in any of its incarnations. What are the prospects for success in the hands of Caesars Entertainment?

Getting back to the chip itself, it is a white Paulson chip with two triangular edge inserts in olive and pumpkin (or whatever names you prefer for those colors). The contradicting Aladdin vs. Planet Hollywood labeling just makes it a curiosity, I suppose, while UV light reveals that oft-hidden Paulson hat and cane logo.

Here's my Planet Hollywood chip. I really like PH. It's a fun place to play, and I hear the rooms are nice. If it's free to me, I'll probably stay there in October when I visit Vegas for my birthday/HB's weigh-in.

Doc, have you not been to the Pioneer downtown, or did you miss that one?

Quote: Johnzimbo

Doc, have you not been to the Pioneer downtown, or did you miss that one?

I did indeed miss getting that one. The Pioneer Club closed as a casino in 1995, and my first visit to Las Vegas was in 2003. I have less than a decade of exposure to the Sin City experience. I only have one chip that I picked up prior to 2003, and that was on a cruise ship.

I expect that most of the Las Vegas casinos that were closed/replaced in the '80s and '90s will eventually have their chips posted in this thread as the lead role gets passed along through different members' collections. For the "old" Vegas casinos or the ones in very remote/international locations, we likely will eventually just have to ask whether anyone has chips from a casino that hasn't been covered yet.

As I have said before, I expect my current collection to keep this thread alive into early 2013, and rdw4potus has enough or will have enough others that he should be able to keep things alive for another year or two. Other people here have indicated they have chips from other casinos too. By the time we have that covered, there will probably be newcomers to the forum and thread who will have different/newer chips from some of these places so that we should go back and revisit those casinos. I think this thread has the potential to continue for a very long time, provided we keep the comments interesting and avoid the pettiness that arises so often in others.

My one regret about PH is not getting a player card before it was sold to Caesars. I could have in 08 and 09, but I didn't. In 08 I hadn't fully grasped the need, and in 09 I didn't even go in, though I visited the adjacent shopping mall.

Quote: Doc

I did indeed miss getting that one. The Pioneer Club closed as a casino in 1995, and my first visit to Las Vegas was in 2003.

Pardon my brain cramp, I was thinking the Pioneer was open until much more recently.

After reading the initial paragraph about the Aladdin name in the mold, I started to think that maybe it was merely a commemorative chip, announcing the opening of a PH restaurant within the Aladdin, prior to the entire facility becoming a PH.

Then I read your history and timeline, and I think, WTF? There was a significant delay between the name change and the chip issue, long enough to produce a new mold.

Perhaps this is a manufacturing error, and the PH got the chips at a discount?

I don't think the "Alladin" rim is an error. When the name of the hotel changed, I suspect it was easier to change the insert and use the existing mold, while the new logo was being designed/approved/manufactured. Molds are cut from really hard blocks of steel, so it is expensive and time consuming to make changes.

Quote: Doc

Maybe this chip should have been the very first one I posted, since the mold impression says it is from the Aladdin, which would place it ahead of Aliante Station in first place. I collected this chip while the hotel casino was in the process of making the name change, and, although they had changed the chips' center inlays to say Planet Hollywood, the base chip mold had not been changed. I think of it as a "Planet Hollywood" chip, since that name is much more evident than the "Aladdin" name that you almost have to search for.

Thank you Doc for all your effort and time keeping this thread fresh. I enjoy it very much because I feel like I learn something with every new entry, and I have some places that I would now like to visit (or know to avoid) due to the comments on this thread.

Have a nice trip. We eagerly await your return, and look forward to your report of, hopefully, positive variance.

Quote: Ayecarumba

I don't think the "Alladin" rim is an error. When the name of the hotel changed, I suspect it was easier to change the insert and use the existing mold, while the new logo was being designed/approved/manufactured. Molds are cut from really hard blocks of steel, so it is expensive and time consuming to make changes.

Actually, there was a period of about 6 months where it went by BOTH names, and tables chips and the like reflected that. It was kind of a long conversion process, and I think they were trying to capitalize on the Planet Hollywood brand, even though it still was the Aladdin. It would be like if MGM Grand changed their name to UFC Casino; they want the popular name to be associated with the casino, but the conversion might take a long time to complete.

Quote: Tiltpoul

Actually, there was a period of about 6 months where it went by BOTH names, and tables chips and the like reflected that.

Kind of like The D right now.

BTW, isn't it ironic the PH casino does not have a PH restaurant in the premises?

Aye -

I'm not really buying your time consuming / expensive theory.

After all, expensive? Then why not just use the generic Top Hat mold?

Time consuming? Considering the lengthy timeline of ANY casino name change, that won't fly.



Tilt -

Thanks for that. THAT makes a lot of sense.

It kinda makes me think of John Mellencamp.

At the urging of his manager, his first few albums were credited to John Cougar.
After he became successful, he had a few albums as John Cougar Mellencamp.
Finally, he now goes by just his real name.

I STILL don't know how to alphabatize his stuff in my library....

Quote: Nareed

Kind of like The D right now.

Not really. They changed their name at a specific point in time. It's just taking a while for all the identifying marks to be changed.

I thought Tilt's reply was more of a dual name thing rather than a transition thing.

Quote: Nareed

BTW, isn't it ironic the PH casino does not have a PH restaurant in the premises?

No. The Hard Rock Casino (at least in Las Vegas, probably other locations too) doesn't have a Hard Rock in it. Hooters casino doesn't have a Hooters in it either.

All of these things are specific to the decor and theme of the entire facility. It's just that without a casino/hotel, all you're gonna have is a restaurant.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

No. The Hard Rock Casino (at least in Las Vegas, probably other locations too) doesn't have a Hard Rock in it. Hooters casino doesn't have a Hooters in it either.

All of these things are specific to the decor and theme of the entire facility. It's just that without a casino/hotel, all you're gonna have is a restaurant.

I think they should. They're giving the impression that a PH or Hard Rock is not good enough a place to eat for their casinos.

Hooters Casino had a Hooters Bar/Restaurant - way in the back of the casino by the pool. At least that was as of March 2011, when my wife and I ate lunch there.

Yeah, but why would anybody want to eat at a Planet Hollywood? Given the effects of their food, I always thought that place should install seat belts on their toilets.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

No. The Hard Rock Casino (at least in Las Vegas, probably other locations too) doesn't have a Hard Rock in it. Hooters casino doesn't have a Hooters in it either.

Kinda wrong and wrong. Hooters does have a Hooters, and Hard Rock does have a Hard Rock, albeit a short walk across the parking lot, so depending on one's definition of "in" it's not inside the casino, but it's definitely there:

Hmmm.... I had checked the Hard Rock Casino LV dining options on their website. It's not listed.

As for Hooters, when I was there in May, I looked for the restaurant, although it wasn't an exhaustive search.

So I'll adjust my argument to suggest that the name refers to the theme of the entire facility. As such, a restaurant of the same name within the facility is redundant and unnecessary.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Aye -

I'm not really buying your time consuming / expensive theory.

After all, expensive? Then why not just use the generic Top Hat mold?

Time consuming? Considering the lengthy timeline of ANY casino name change, that won't fly.

Please re-consider. I think the time was spent clearing the bankruptcy, and settling on the new logo. Remember that the hotel/resort name change to "PH" was initiated right in the middle of (and probably due to) the Aladdin buy-out. Also remember that Planet Hollywood was not the sole buyer of the bankrupt property (they partnered with Starwood/Westgate), so between clearing up the bankruptcy, all the new owner groups settling on what things were going to eventually look like, submitting artist renditions of their chips for NGC approval, producing the molds and manufacturing the actual chips, I am not surprised it took a long time to get "PH" chips on the floor.

Producing a new mold costs thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars, and takes several days to manufacture. I am not surprised they used the existing molds, and only changed the inserts since the casino's logo was still in flux and they were "dba Aladdin" until the "PH" rollout in 2007.

Nevada Gaming Commision records indicate that chips for Planet Hollywood were first approved in December of 2004. These chips said, "Planet Hollywood Coming in 2006".

The "dba Aladdin" chips were approved in 2006.

In April of 2007, approval was given to chips with the new "PH" logo.

Chips with "Grand Opening" were approved in October of 2007.

State: Nevada
City: Las Vegas
Casino: Plaza

I just got home from my little trip late last night, and I haven't done any catching up on the forum or really thought much about what to say regarding today's chip or its casino. During my travels, I did pick up new souvenir chips from the Valley Forge Casino, Revel, and the Atlantic Club. I played craps at all three establishments, winning at two out of three for an overall loss. We all know how that can happen.

Today's Casino Chip of the Day comes from the Plaza Hotel and Casino on Main Street at Fremont, not to be confused (though confusion seems inevitable) with the Las Vegas Plaza hotel and casino across the street from the Wynn. That strip establishment was planned, sued, and constructed to the point of demolition and clearing of the lot before the venture ground to a halt.

The downtown Plaza, on the other hand, was constructed on the site of the Union Pacific railroad station and was originally known as the Union Plaza, with the only railroad station in the country housed in a casino. The railway station closed with the demise of Amtrak's Desert Wind route, but the Greyhound bus terminal remains attached on the southern end of the facility, a block from Fremont Street.

The Union Plaza opened in 1971, lasting in that incarnation until 1992 (I think). It was known as Jackie Gaughan's Plaza for the next dozen years, though the chips and signage did not always note the owner's name. In 2004, Gaughan sold several properties, including the Plaza, to Barrick Gaming and an unpublicized partner, the Tamares Group. In 2005, Barrick sold their interests to Tamares, with PlayLV Gaming now holding the license necessary to operate the casino.

The property was closed for significant renovations during 2010 and 2011, incorporating some furnishings purchased from Carl Icahn as he liquidated a few of the assets he acquired when purchasing the incomplete and bankrupt Fontanebleau resort on the strip.

I have only been to the Plaza a few times – it always seems so "across the street" when I am on Fremont. My last visit was in May of this year, right before WoVCon 1.5, when my wife and I joined Tiltpoul for a delightful performance of "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" at the Plaza Showroom.

The Plaza chip shown below is a white RHC Paulson hat and cane design with three maroon edge inserts. The center inlay notes that the casino is "A Barrick Gaming Corporation Company", which corresponds to the chip's 2004 issue date listed in the MOGH catalog.

The plaza is not a bad option downtown now with its renovations. Though I suggest you stay away from the sushi place, the Hash House is quite good.

I have spent many a day at the Sports/Horse Book at the Plaza/Union Plaza over the years, and have gambled there quite a bit but only stayed there once, Super Bowl weekend in either 1993 or 1994 when the Cowboys beat the Bills. My most memorable recollection of the place was having dinner in their second floor restaurant one night when a storm came through and knocked the power out. I had to finish my prime rib by candlelight, but afterwards we went down to the casino and it was going full speed.

I may have grabbed my chip then or on a prior visit, not sure.

Quote: Doc

The Plaza chip shown below is a white RHC Paulson hat and cane design with three maroon edge inserts.

Clash of the colors, ugh...

On other things, despite previous visits to Downtown I first went into the Plaza only last May, precisely to meet Doc, his wife and Tiltpoul after the show. The casino is nice enough.

Quote: Johnzimbo

... Super Bowl weekend in either 1993 or 1994 when the Cowboys beat the Bills. ... I may have grabbed my chip then or on a prior visit, not sure.

Thanks for posting a Union Plaza chip. I had no idea that we would see one posted here. My guess is that you picked that one up on an earlier trip. By 1993 or '94, they likely would have converted to using the chips issued in 1992 that said "Jackie Gaughan's Plaza".

Here's my Plaza chip. I picked it up when the hotel was closed for renovations, and I think I pretty much got lucky by barely beating the removal of the table games as they remodeled the casino floor. I've never stayed downtown, but I hear the new Plaza hotel is nice. Maybe I'll check it out on a future trip.

Speaking of future trips...It's my turn to go pick up Atlantic Club, Revel, and Valley Forge chips so I'll probably fall behind in this thread from now until Friday.

Quote: rdw4potus

Speaking of future trips...It's my turn to go pick up Atlantic Club, Revel, and Valley Forge chips so I'll probably fall behind in this thread from now until Friday.

I also called Harrah's Chester/Philadelphia to ask whether they have new chips or plans for new chips that say "Philadelphia". Someone at the casino cage said that they do not yet have them and do not have definite plans. She suggested I call back in a month or so. If you hear that they have "Harrah's Philadelphia" chips, let me know so that I can plan a stop on my next trip up that way, which probably won't be until next year.

Quote: Doc

I also called Harrah's Chester/Philadelphia to ask whether they have new chips or plans for new chips that say "Philadelphia". Someone at the casino cage said that they do not yet have them and do not have definite plans. She suggested I call back in a month or so. If you hear that they have "Harrah's Philadelphia" chips, let me know so that I can plan a stop on my next trip up that way, which probably won't be until next year.

I'm planning on going there on Thursday for the races (I've never bet horses before, but that's what my customer wants to do...eek), so I'll definitely ask then!

Quote: rdw4potus

... I've never bet horses before, but that's what my customer wants to do....

In my entire adult life, I have attended horse races three times: 1982 at the Nicosia, Cyprus Race Club, 2005 or 2006 at Monmouth Race Track New Jersey, and 2011 (trotters) at The Meadows Race Track in Washington, PA. I didn't place a wager on a horse in any of those visits -- it's not my thing -- but I did enjoy watching the horses run.

Quote: Doc

I didn't place a wager on a horse in any of those visits -- it's not my thing -- but I did enjoy watching the horses run.

I've been to the Mexico City races four or five times, but never placed a bet there either. I drive past it every day, too.