a new illegal chip, do I own them all? (1 Viewer)

[Silver_Fiend]

Latest package just dropped off at my door!

I knew what they were when I bought them, I had no idea how many there were going to be. This chip version isnt listed in the MOGH, so maybe I have them all. Story from the seller was:
"My grandpa used to gamble in Weston and St. Joseph in MO. He did laundry in WWII as a Seabee. He thought he was a hustler, like Mchale's Navy or something. Anyways, he got these after a saloon fire and cleaned them up, stuck them in a jar. I never knew that he had these, until they were given to me in 1992 when he passed away."

335 chips (not including the 3 broken ones) from an illegal gambling joint called "The New Stever" in St. Joseph, MO. Diamond mold, orange color, hot stamped LAY. These chips are very well worn. Possibly from many years of use, possibly from the cleaning treatment from their savior? Maybe a combination of both.

From: http://www.marlowcasinochips.com/links/genetrimble/illegaloftheday/VariousMO2.pdf
"The Lay chips were in the same lot as the 6 ST Joseph, MO hubs in "Illegal Of The
Day" Missouri 11, last week. The seller of those chips, Lee Weaver, threw a pair of the
Lay chips in the package I bought.
They were taken in a raid by ST Jo police. I discounted them as UFC's and forgot about
them.
It dawned on me that Lay (ay not capital letters) was probably not initials but maybe someone's name. What the heck,
why not give it a try.

Enter Ed Hertel:
The “517” were grouped with the “Stever” chips when I got them (a long time ago) and
they were all supposedly from the “Stever Social Club” which sounds like a mistake (or
a lame attempt to try to give a name to the Stever chip). I think our friend is right on
with “The New Stever” name.
I was wondering what the heck a “Stever” was and found it. The original “The Stever”
was Frank J. Stever. He and a guy named Frank G McDonald were proprietors of Rex
Cigar Parlors (billiards and bowling) at the turn of the century. I didn’t go down into
detail (as it might be old news), but here is a very brief timeline of what I saw at 511-1/2
Edmond:
1921 - “The Stever” was owned by Frank Stever.
1930’s – “New Stever” was owned by Fred Green & Edward Bonner
1940 – “New Stever” was owned by Vernon and Keith Lay
1950’s – “New Stever Recreation” – only Vernon Lay listed
Must have been a popular place to keep the name long after Frank Stever was gone

SO! What did we learn from all this?
1) The “Stever Social Club” was most likely not a real place.
2) The “Lay” and “Stever” diamond mold chips are probably from the “The New
Stever” located at 511-1/2 Edmond, St. Joseph, Mo.
3) The “517” chips (below) are not Stever chips, but a couple doors down. "

 

[philhut]

Any idea what these chips would have been used for? Assuming not face value.

 

[Silver_Fiend]

Any idea what these chips would have been used for? Assuming not face value.

I've never found anything with values associated. From the timeframe of this establishment, there doesnt even seem to be a color consensus for any casinos. Every place just picked whatever they wanted for chip value / colors.

 

[CrazyEddie]

Cool find, interesting research! Sadly, there's a lot of history around these little discs that we'll just never be able to recreate.

 

[Silver_Fiend]

When I read that these chips were supposed to have been rescued after a fire, I tried researching it but I came up dry. I couldnt find any historic accounts of fires with the address or name of the establishment. I was thinking that maybe that aspect wasnt accurate. As I began really looking at some of the chips today, none of them are REALLY clean. They all have black/grey/white material in the molds. Looking at it magnified, it really does look like fire ash.

I took a little soapy water and toothbrush to a few of the most worn examples and they clean up easily. A touch of oil didnt hurt either.

Although, I dont think I'll clean the remaining chips. These are from a known illegal gambling spot. If they were recovered after a fire, and have ash residue in the molds, thats part of their history too. I just wish I could find an account of the fire.

 

[philhut]

When I read that these chips were supposed to have been rescued after a fire, I tried researching it but I came up dry. I couldnt find any historic accounts of fires with the address or name of the establishment. I was thinking that maybe that aspect wasnt accurate. As I began really looking at some of the chips today, none of them are REALLY clean. They all have black/grey/white material in the molds. Looking at it magnified, it really does look like fire ash.

View attachment 678460

I took a little soapy water and toothbrush to a few of the most worn examples and they clean up easily. A touch of oil didnt hurt either.

View attachment 678461

Although, I dont think I'll clean the remaining chips. These are from a known illegal gambling spot. If they were recovered after a fire, and have ash residue in the molds, thats part of their history too. I just wish I could find an account of the fire.

if it was an underground club its "possible" the fire was not recorded either....either not reported or not formally recorded or reported with the story kept quiet.... I am impressed with the level of research you have on these

 

[Silver_Fiend]

if it was an underground club its "possible" the fire was not recorded either....either not reported or not formally recorded or reported with the story kept quiet.... I am impressed with the level of research you have on these

Well, the WWW is an amazing thing.

 

[Colquhoun]

Those chips just ooze history and mojo.
I wouldn’t clean them either.
Great find.

 

[KrisPringle]

Oh wow these are really neat. They look like leather! I assume they are clay? I like the terra cotta look. I'm imagining several scruffy-looking figures in a dingy basement. They're all huddled around a table underneath a solitary flickering light bulb puffing on cigars and tossing these chips around. Cool find.

 

[Silver_Fiend]

Oh wow these are really neat. They look like leather! I assume they are clay? I like the terra cotta look. I'm imagining several scruffy-looking figures in a dingy basement. They're all huddled around a table underneath a solitary flickering light bulb puffing on cigars and tossing these chips around. Cool find.

LOL, yes they are clay. I like the image you imagine.

 

[MikeLV]

That is such an interesting story! I am located just down river in Leavenworth, KS (outside the walls) and we have had our share of crazy illegal clubs here and of course in Kansas City. I came into two sets of similarly interesting chips - written up here a while back -Dantes Inferno on PCF. Research on Dante's led me into a pretty deep dive into clubs from the 1930's and later in KC. Most interesting and what few people know about is that Dante's was one of the first documented "alternative lifestyles welcome here" clubs in Kansas City.

The 811 chips are believed to have moved down river from Omaha when they were busted, who knows - maybe they stopped in St. Joe for a while? They too have a wonderful leathery feel and smell vaguely of fine tobacco smoke.

These chips with a sketchy story are a great reason learn about our history.