Illegal Chips

[Gary Fieldsend R-9107]

I have a question about illegal chips. I've been picking up illegals relatively cheaply and I find it surprising since they are usually much older and rarer.  Is it just because they are not as popular? Also is there a resource on the chips, particularly about the establishments?

[Jim Helik]

Ed Hertel guide is good and free
http://www.chipster.net/

Chipguide of course. And just because something is rare does not mean that it is expensive. I've not lots of racks of illegals/firehouse chips/backroom chips and UFCs that the value of any particular one, especially without a story, will be minimal.

[Gary Fieldsend R-9107]

Thanks! I was unaware of the Illegal Chip Guide. They kind of remind me of when I was collecting baseball cards. People would spend a lot of money on newer cards, which there were millions of, while cards from the 60s and 70s were relatively cheap. 

[WESTEN R-7756]

Lots of illegal history here... If you have traders I'm always looking for new illegals.

http://www.marlowcasinochips.com/links/genetrimble/genetrimble.htm

[Peter Porro Klinger LM-1040-104]

Thanks I downloaded that. I see one missing, but I have no chips just history. The Paddock Club Elkhart Lake Wisconsin. It was well known and popular until the law started to clean up.


https://www.elkhartlake.com/p/paddock-club/

I never tried to ask locally if anyone had any old chips and the history of Elkhart Lake and the clubs and casinos, is being lost as old timers with actual knowledge are moving on.

http://www.marlowcasinochips.com/links/genetrimble/illegaloftheday/ElkhartLakeWI.pdf

https://books.google.com/books?id=8o3XILXXQV0C&pg=PA59&lpg=PA59&dq=illegal+gambling+in+sheboygan+in+he+1930%27s&source=bl&ots=pBUKd0l7k5&sig=irnuPc9_l8_swliklojPoL7ukoU&hl=en&ei=k45XTIHKNoK78gaIyMG_BA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result#v=onepage&q=illegal%20gambling%20in%20sheboygan%20in%20he%201930's&f=false

The Osthoff is now a very upscale resort on the lake, condos, convention center, lovely. Elkhart is now more of an attraction because of the Road America race track, but the area is still prime tourist territory.

Until the 50s and 60s the trains would bring people in from Illinois for vacations. The trains ran up to the northern chain of lakes and the national forests.

The Northernaire was in Three Lakes Wisconsin and had music, night life, and gambling. I was too young to know what was going on, but when the resort closed down, people bought the gaming tables, including a roulette wheel. If I had only known...

As for Milwaukee, just a little North of Chicago, there was a mob connection. When I see the addresses and names on the clubs and casinos, I can remember the locations. I mean in a general area kind of way.

I think there's much more to be discovered for someone who has the time and makes the effort. But as time marches on, that history is lost.

As usual there's a bunch of Al Capon stayed here and the Little Bohemia story (suitcase of money myth) from the wild times during prohibition.

https://worldhistoryproject.org/1934/4/22/little-bohemia-lodge-shootout#:~:text=Apr%2022%201934%20Little%20Bohemia%20Lodge%20shootout%20In,in%20the%20northern%20Wisconsin%20town%20of%20Manitowish%20Waters.

Apr 22 1934
Little Bohemia Lodge shootout

Baby Face Nelson and Dillinger. They still have some windows with bullet holes, preserved, with second panes of glass.

[Peter Porro Klinger LM-1040-104]

Some for Ohio as I was in Ironton and the AmVets club is matched with some dice. I also went to an antique shop and got some dice. The local hardware store had slot machines up in the rafters, not for play, just old parts machines. That was 2004 or so.

Right across the river from Kentucky, so who knows.

But aside from the dice, one of the locals said he knew of casino chips, but didn't know where they were at the time. My only visit. I don't know if they were from Ironton or some club in Kentucky.

[Mike “Monk” Vuolo R-8145]

Hi Peter, I looked for chips from the Paddock Club and other establishments up in Elkhart Lake for about 15 years, with no success. I am sure you looked for longer than I have. To think all the equipment and possibly chips at the bottom of the lake     Too bad I never took up scuba lessons 
Of course, Sheboygan County has a load of Illegal gambling too and few to no chips exist.

[Mike “Monk” Vuolo R-8145]

I have a question about illegal chips. I've been picking up illegals relatively cheaply and I find it surprising since they are usually much older and rarer.  Is it just because they are not as popular? Also is there a resource on the chips, particularly about the establishments?

It is just that so few members collect Illegals so the demand isn't there. Gene Trimble tried to get new members involved with collecting Illegals by sending them a few for free. That's how I started. Then when I came into town we used to exchange Illegals. he is sorely missed. Ed Hertel has the most comprehensive spreadsheet (database) on Illegals. Also, there are books that concentrate on specific areas of the country. The book Illegal Gambling Clubs of Toledo: The Chips, the Dice, the Places and Faces by Terry Shaffer and the book by Dr. Paul Bender detailing Jeffersonville Indiana Illegal Places and Chips both come to mind. Plus older newsletters written By Ed Hertel which I think are available online, but it's been so long I can't recall.
One day when both the wife and I retire I will go through all the Illegals I have and maybe trade some or just sell off all the chips. But the rarity is always questionable since racks still show up in basements and attics and "provenance" many times is hard to prove in some molds with no records. Gene always said no one threw away chips even confiscated during raids. They brought them home and played with them!!
Welcome to the world of collecting Illegals.
Feel free to post more on Illegals, especially the ones you found. I always was for keeping the hobby inexpensive by trading.