How do you go about harvesting live chips? (1 Viewer)

The Nuts

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I'm going to be going to vegas in early September and was hoping to snag a rack or 2 of 1's.

I'm not sure how to go about harvesting though. Do I just wear a backpack, get the chips from the teller and then shove them in my backpack somewhere else?Is it best to take them into the bathroom?

Also, if I wanted to get some minty uncirculated chips would the cage be suspicious if I asked for a rack of new in box chips and offered them a tip if there was any? Would they then watch me if I asked a question like that?

What do you all do and what happens when things go awry?

Thanks!
 
it depends a lot on the location. I had a lot of success harvesting 10-20 1s at a time at table games. I think it’s difficult at many casinos to walk up to the cage and get a mint rack of 1s even if you offer a tip.
 
Sit down at a table game. Get some change. Play a few hands or roll the dice. Put 1s you want in your pocket. Repeat several times until pockets are full. Walk away from tables and empty pockets into backpack. Repeat as desired.

I have never had an issue with being “watched” after asking the cage for mint chips, although you are being “watched” all the time on the floor.
 
Go to the cashier at Park MGM and ask nicely for an uncirculated rack or two. They even gift wrap them for you and give you racks. Worked for me anyway. I walked around with these all night at various casinos and no one cared.
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Wow thats awesome, so you just said "Do you have any uncirculated racks of chips?" and they came back and said Yeah we got a few?
 
Wow thats awesome, so you just said "Do you have any uncirculated racks of chips?" and they came back and said Yeah we got a few?
Yeah, I said something like "do you have any uncirculated ones that I could buy?". Cashier originally came back with two chips and I asked if I could have a few more. How many would you like? I said two racks if you can spare them. She apologized for thinking I only wanted two chips and came back with these.
 
Favorite 'harvesting' moment........







Back when Gold Coast/Vegas had a poker room they had bright orange drop chips for the rake.


1566513716432.png

(credit: Chipguide.com)


I asked the dealer if I could buy a couple, figuring he'd just hand them to me for my ones.....
"nope, we aren't allowed to sell them....."
"Ummm....ok....do you know why?"
"You can talk to the poker room manager...she is over there...."


So I go over and ask her about the chips, politely tell her I'd like 2 of them for my collection...

She has a face on her that looks like she just ate 2 lemons and tells me that "We don't sell them; People are always wanting to buy them but we don't sell them. They are JUST for the Rake box"

"Well, Ma'am, if people are ALWAYS looking to buy them at 2$ apiece and they are going to take them home and NEVER cash them in, then why doesn't the casino just order a LOT of them? They have to cost less than 2$ so it would be pure profit for the casino...that's what the casino is HERE for, right? Profit?"

As she was trying to process this 'logic' thing, with mouth open and eyebrows furrowed, I wished her a nice day and left.

Later that night, on my way by the cage, I was able to stop and get 2 or 3 of them (it took some persuasion as I got the same story but this person was much friendlier.)

Next day when Lemon-Face was on shift I walked by her post, cleared my throat so she looked up and had the chip at her eyelevel as I walked by, never breaking stride.

I miss the Gold Coast Poker Room.
 
Go to the cashier at Park MGM and ask nicely for an uncirculated rack or two. They even gift wrap them for you and give you racks. Worked for me anyway. I walked around with these all night at various casinos and no one cared.

I'm pretty sure it was down to your rugged good looks winning them over ;) :tup:
 
Go to the cashier at Park MGM and ask nicely for an uncirculated rack or two. They even gift wrap them for you and give you racks. Worked for me anyway. I walked around with these all night at various casinos and no one cared.View attachment 327352View attachment 327353View attachment 327354
I got shut down at park MGM so many times trying exactly that. I did get a mint rack from the MGM cage though.

I was offering $20 tips per rack at the cage in every casino I went to.
 
I got shut down at park MGM so many times trying exactly that. I did get a mint rack from the MGM cage though.

I was offering $20 tips per rack at the cage in every casino I went to.
Definitely your accent. You know how Americans despise Australian accents :D
 
I have these coming to me over the next couple of days in the post from someone I know who has just been to Vegas.

I think their British accent probably helped a lot, but I told them to just go up to the cages, tip the cashier 20 dollars and ask them nicely to go to the vault to see if they could get a rack of uncirculated chips - for use in a British home game (again, I think the fact that these were going to be used in Britain probably sweetened the deal as it aroused less questions).

They had varying degrees at luck: they were told that this wasn't possible at Paris, so had to go to individual tables and buy 10 chips at a time. They said that this was a bit harder as they don't have much poker going on there; however, they managed a full rack which, with a good clean, look to be in good shape.

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The Flamingo, on the other hand, was a different story. They tipped the cage assistant, asked them what they wanted and, despite being told that they couldn't provide brand new ones, went and spent time finding the ones in the very best condition for us. These look to be in really good condition, and I will post better photos when they arrive on Wednesday. Moral of the story? Tip well and put on a British accent if you can.

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:ROFL: :ROFLMAO: I can also confirm that the English accent works.

Nice haul, especially since you sent a non chipper to get them.

And Paris will definitely never give out more than 10 at the cage, so that would have involved plenty of back and forth from the tables to get a rack.
 
:ROFL: :ROFLMAO: I can also confirm that the English accent works.

Nice haul, especially since you sent a non chipper to get them.

And Paris will definitely never give out more than 10 at the cage, so that would have involved plenty of back and forth from the tables to get a rack.

Yeah, I bought a couple of chips from these guys on eBay and was asking whether they had any more... They became intrigued and wanted to know why I wanted so many of a specific kind. I explained to them that I use them in my home poker games, and they offered to harvest for me on their September trip.
 
Greek accent, theoretically at least, works.
I was crazy enough to ask at Bally's on the phone if they would sell two uncirculated racks of $1s to me as a collector and ship them from Nevada to Greece.
The answer, by the lady in charge, was "you have to come here sweetheart":D
 
Favorite 'harvesting' moment........







Back when Gold Coast/Vegas had a poker room they had bright orange drop chips for the rake.


View attachment 327388
(credit: Chipguide.com)


I asked the dealer if I could buy a couple, figuring he'd just hand them to me for my ones.....
"nope, we aren't allowed to sell them....."
"Ummm....ok....do you know why?"
"You can talk to the poker room manager...she is over there...."


So I go over and ask her about the chips, politely tell her I'd like 2 of them for my collection...

She has a face on her that looks like she just ate 2 lemons and tells me that "We don't sell them; People are always wanting to buy them but we don't sell them. They are JUST for the Rake box"

"Well, Ma'am, if people are ALWAYS looking to buy them at 2$ apiece and they are going to take them home and NEVER cash them in, then why doesn't the casino just order a LOT of them? They have to cost less than 2$ so it would be pure profit for the casino...that's what the casino is HERE for, right? Profit?"

As she was trying to process this 'logic' thing, with mouth open and eyebrows furrowed, I wished her a nice day and left.

Later that night, on my way by the cage, I was able to stop and get 2 or 3 of them (it took some persuasion as I got the same story but this person was much friendlier.)

Next day when Lemon-Face was on shift I walked by her post, cleared my throat so she looked up and had the chip at her eyelevel as I walked by, never breaking stride.

I miss the Gold Coast Poker Room.

Lemon Face is my new favorite nickname. Now I just need to find someone to give it to...
 
Play a limit game under $5/$10, buy racks of white chips at the cage, and as you're playing, start to separate out the ones you want to keep. Then when you're ready, rack up and put the ones you want to keep in your bag.

Cages are usually willing to give 5-10 chips but not full racks, in my experience, though I see plenty of evidence to the contrary in this thread. :)
 
for real get to know the cage lady!! play blackjack at the $5 table. play for 10-15mins get up with your rack go eat sort. go to cage cash in TIP her!!! go back rinse repeat im mean your in vegas to play anyways. once your about 5-6 trips in shell get the hint not to mention the $30-40 in her pocket shell start just getting you barrels of mint ones each time .

hardest thing is roulettes !!!!!!!!! and tournament chips! you gotta know the dealer and you can walk out with some nice things LOL. bellagio roulettes make friends with dealer and causally stroll off leaving a hundo for the dealer will do wonders!!!!!!!!!

Poker room is easy score with people going to cage just jump them and over face value you can get whatever you want!
 
Looking for some help from a harvester in Southern California! Anyone can point me in the right direction? Thanks :)

(Not sure if the right place to post please direct me)
 
Wheel of fortune is a good one for singles if the casino has one.
 

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