Vintage chip wear as a function of type of games played? (1 Viewer)

[Shaggy]

So @chipjoker and I were having a discussion here at work regarding the wear seen on two of my chipsets. Specifically the Tropicana fountains I just received (thanks @H|Q) and the California Bell Clubs I acquired a few years ago. Here is some data on the two chipsets:

Tropicana
years used 1972 to 1985, total 13
Denoms I have are 1, 5, 25, 100
The chips are in a decent used condition

Cali Bells
years used 1974 to 1980, total 6
Denoms I have are .25, 1, 5, 25, 100
The chips are in a heavily used condition, especially the 5's.

So the question, or area of discussion is this. Why are the Cali Bell chips so much more worn than the Trops? Here are some ideas.
1. Shear Quantity of chips in play. Tropicana was a Las Vegas Strip Casino and thus had more money than the Cali Bell and could afford to have more chips in play relative to the number of customers.
2. Types of games being played.
a) My assumption is a large portion of the Trop chips were on the blackjack and craps tables. Likely with $1 min bets at that time. In craps, chips are tossed around a little bit but generally not handled much. In blackjack they are handled even less... placed in the betting circle and either dragged to the players stack or to the tray. For both games there are a large quantity of chips in the tray or box. I am not aware of how much poker was played at the Trop in the '70's.
b) The California Bell Club looks like it only spread 5 card draw and Lowball poker. Stud and Hold'Em were illegal in some of California until the late '80s. Does anyone know the betting or ante structure for these early draw games? I am just puzzled at how the $5 chips could be so worn. Would a $1 ante game and betting with $5 chips be a popular enough game to wear the $5s like that?

 

[stocky]

I think your dates are off. 3rd edition hotstamps were issued in 79.

But this is probably the main reason

1. Shear Quantity of chips in play. Tropicana was a Las Vegas Strip Casino and thus had more money than the Cali Bell and could afford to have more chips in play relative to the number of customers.

 

[Shaggy]

Ah looks like all but the ones were replaced in '79. I based the above statement on the $1 only from mogh... I should've scrolled down further. Ty

 

[Lars]

Interesting. Shaggy do you happen to have any of the used Dunes $5 chips? I have wondered about the condition of those hoping that they are nicer for the same reasons you state above?

 

[slisk250]

Interesting. Shaggy do you happen to have any of the used Dunes $5 chips? I have wondered about the condition of those hoping that they are nicer for the same reasons you state above?

I have a some you can take a look at in the summer.

 

[Lars]

I remember you told me you had purchased some right before we got together. Did you also buy some that were mint? I wish I had asked to see them.

I have a some you can take a look at in the summer.

 

[slisk250]

I have both.

 

[gmunny]

Great question!

i think part of the reason is that many of the larger Vegas casinos tend to re-order additional chips as the chips get worn, so even though it is basically chip looks the same, add-ons may have been re-ordered 2-3 times during that period. I've seen this on molds (C&J, then LCV, then SCV) and slight changes in the inlay or font colors, font size, hot stamp, etc. Not sure about the actual Trop chips, however, but over that period I would think there would have been some re-orders at least a few times. I also think the casinos tend to re-order their work horse chips more, like $5s, $25 and $100s. That is why sometimes the upper denoms $500, $1k, etc seem to be more worn.

As far as the older cali clubs, it seems that most did not re-order add-ons unless absolutely necessary. At the Cali Card clubs back in the 80s, the draw games back then were Jacks or Better to Open for High and California Low Ball for low: Bet before the draw, then after the draw. I don't think they had ante's, but i do remember for Jacks or Better you had to either Open or Fold before the draw. I don't think they played Split or Stud games back then. They did have tables of a card game called Pan 9, though I don't know how they played.

The other thing about poker players is they tend to shuffle chips more than the general blackjack player or other casino bettor.