Anyone Know Where I Can Get Info on Casino Silver Dollars?

MrLee

I just picked this up on eBay and I couldn't find any info on it before bidding. It's an 1883-O Silver Dollar from the Hacienda Casino in Las Vegas.

I'm happy with what I paid but I thought there'd be a website or two out there.

MadMarty

Is the sticker on the coin???

I was in Vegas in the late 80's when the Casino ran out of tokens. The broke out racks of IKE dollars. Too bad I was not collecting back then... Fresh rolls of IKEs... I bet some casinos still have rolls stashed away for reserve...

truthteller

Try Henry Garrett out of North Hollywood, Ca. He deals in Casino chips and dollars. However, I know that this one is fairly common, and with the label heavily worn, most of the collectible casino value is gone.

TRUTH

MrLee

I haven't received it yet but I've seen one or two others. They would sticker the dollars to mark them that they came from their casino.

Dog97

I have a casino dollar from the Lady Luck Casino & Saloon and I can't find anything about it either. 1897 of course!
Let me know if you get any info MrLee.

Twowood

I was out in Vegas (The Flamingo) and I asked about silver dollars. They knew nothing at all about them. Twowood




Link to my local dealer.

MrLee

I'm not surprised Twowood. At one time I had an abundance of well-circulated Ike Dollars and used them as tips in restuarants and at the gaming tables in various casinos. Many waitresses and dealers were either surprised to see one or had never seen one before. I even had some say they wouldn't take "tokens from other casinos".

Here is a brief history on Gaming Tokens from Dan's Casino Tokens Website.



<< <i>For years, U.S. Silver Dollars had traditionally been used in Nevada on the gaming tables and in dollar slot machines, as well as for general monetary purposes. When all U.S. Silver Dollars started selling at a premium in 1964, Nevada gaming casinos found themselves in a difficult position. Most of the casinos had substantial inventories of silver dollars, but they could not hold on to them for long. The cartwheels disappeared just about as fast as they were put on the gaming tables.

So, when it became apparent that the silver dollar problem was not going to be solved by itself, the Nevada Gaming Commission passed a regulation permitting the casinos, for the first time, to issue their own private dollar denomination metal tokens. This regulation was subsequently supplanted with a broader statute by the Nevada State Legislature, The Nevada Gaming Commission, after consultation with the U.S. Treasury Department and other experts, issued a new set of regulations in August 1965, laying down specific ground rules for the use of these tokens.

The Franklin Mint, a Division of General Numismatics Corporation of Yeardon, PA., minted the first metal tokens for Harrah's in July, 1965, and since then has became the major producer of Dollar Gaming Tokens for Nevada gaming casinos.

Each token has a different edge reeding pattern. This technique was perfected by the Franklin Mint to help casinos identify "foreign" tokens in a stack and to further stymie potential counterfeiters.

In addition to the regular run of each of these Dollar Gaming Tokens, which varied from 5,000 to 250,000 pieces, most of the casinos received 500 proofs of these tokens in individual coin holders. Also minted were 2,500 complete "proof-like" sets for stockholders of the Franklin Mint, and 500 complete full-proof sets in fine silver primarily for presentation purposes. Each of the "proof-like" and "full-proof" sets were distributed in special serially numbered albums.

The following information comes from Janice and Jerry O'Neal.

Dollar slot tokens were made from 1965 to 1969, then came the 'Ike' dollar coin. At that point the U.S. government decided these would be better used than allowing the casinos to mint their own money (tokens). So, there were no more dollar tokens minted until 1979, when the issuance of the 'Ike' dollars ceased. In 1979, almost every casino with dollar slots issued new dollar tokens. That is why there is an unusually large number of tokens listed for 1979. >>

LucyBop

Those are very cool collectibles....

stman

Ah, the Hacienda Hotel brings back memories. It was one of the first Hotels coming on to the strip. I remember my family used to stay there ( probably because it was cheaper knowing my Father) and in those days there wasn't much to do for kids. So we used to rent the go-carts and tear it up.

Sorry, my reply has nothing to do with your coin. Of coarse those older hotels are long gone now.

LucyBop

the HepKitty performing at the Gold Coast Casino off of the strip with the Legendary Solitaires...




Have also done a few perfomances at the Lady Luck, they usually hold a Elvis type show once a year....

MrLee

stman. Don't apologize. I'd love to hear more stories about the place. The reason I bought the Hacienda Silver Dollar is because I'm putting together a collection of Hacienda items for my wife. (Postcards, chips, tokens, dice, etc.) We were married there fourteen years ago, as was my brother, two of her sisters and my son. (Little Chapel of the West) The chapel is now across the street.

We stayed there a few times more and I wish I had saved more things. I miss the old place.

BTW. It was an "inexpensive" place to stay

MrLee

Hey Lucy. How come no invites? Don't you like us? Must have been really cool performing with Stars like them. Stayed at the Lady Luck also. Real nice place.

jeffnpcb

Regardless of the casino stckers on the coins, how many nickles, dimes, quaters and silver dollars were ruined from running them through the slot machines? Binion at the Horseshoe Casino had the best idea of removing the coins and using tokens in the machines!
Just got finished at a dealer who had over 500 Buffalo's and Walking Liberty Quaters out the ying-tang! Could not make out the dates and the rims were shot!
Found over 20 Type one Walking Lib Quarters, but could only make out the date, faintly, that it was a 1917!
It would be interesting to know the total of coins out there, versus the one that are graded. We can look up population reports aand mintages, but how many are there in true numbers not destroyed, melted down, or lost forever!
Alot of coins that are considered common, may be infact extremely rare!
Anyone know who may have done research on this matter!

Twowood

Would someone please post a link to Dan's Casino Tokens! Twowood

MrLee

DAN'S CASINO TOKENS Sorry about that. I should have done it earlier.

Lee

Twowood

Thanx Mr.Lee for posting Dan's link.
He's created a great website but I can't figure out how to place an order!!! I emailed him. Twowood