THE HISTORY ON THE CRYSTAL PARK CASINO CHIPS (1 Viewer)

TheDeezer

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Can anyone share how the chips came to be ? I know how they got on the market due to the shady accounting there but who brokered the deal to acquire these and what year was it ? How did everyone first realize when these came on the market and what were the prices way back when ? Was it a cattle rush to get these bad boys ? Any an all true stories would be awesome. Thanks!
 
I got my first set of CP's back in about 2006 ( not sure exactly when). I paid $375 plus $15 shipping for a 500 chip set....2 racks of $1's, 1 rack of $2's and 2 racks of $5's. Got them from original seller I believe it was Omahamike on eBay. Others here may keep better records than I and could provide better history.
They were my first casino chips and they got me started in this hobby. I have bought and sold CP's about three times since then...in fact just sold almost 4 racks a week ago!
 
I'm sure JM knows the back story, maybe Abby too. Ovo?
 
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.gambling.poker/HgrBxEakKOo

30/10/2000
If you always wanted real casino chips for your home game, you have to check
this out. Crystal Park Casino in Los Angeles was open for a few months and
was shut down by the state. Some of you might know the background to the
closing of this casino. Well their entire supply of chips are being sold
through One Eyed Jacks Gaming in Kalamazoo, MI. provided that there is
enough demand.
I also bought a folding hold'em table from this company that kicks ass, you
can check out their site for tables.

Anyway I spoke to the owner and he told me he put these chips on his site to
test for demand. If he decides to go ahead, he will be taking posession of
several hundred thousand chips at a very large expense ($60,000+) both in
acquisition and in shipping (those babies are heavy).

Most of the chips are uncirculated or slightly used.

My motivation in posting this is that I want to buy a thousand or so of
these chips. So I'm trying to generate a little interest/demand so that One
Eyed Jacks will go ahead and make this purchase and sell these chips.

There is a picture of the chips at
http://www.oneeyedjacksgaming.com/chips3.htm

I think they look great and they'll be selling them for around $.50 to $.60
a chip, which is an excellent price for Top Hat & Cane 10gram clay chips.

The other thing is that there are several denominations that are very hard
to find, like $3 for 3/6 hold'em.

Anyway check this out, it seems like a nice opportunity.

-Marc
 
Check this out, the original listing.


http://web.archive.org/web/20001216204800/http://www.oneeyedjacksgaming.com/chips3.htm



Crazy cheap prices, if i could go back and buy all of the $100+ i would

50 cent through $25-$0.52 ea:
$100-$1,000-$0.62ea:
$5,000 BACCARAT CHIP-$0.75 ea:


dawson-crying-ugly-amazing-gifs.gif
 
I also recall hearing awhile back from one of the old time chip dealers that were able to get sets directly from Crystal Park by redeeming Players Card points. I think those are the sets that came with a Crystal Park case if i remember correctly. Not sure when that was, though.
 
$0.62/each for $500's & $1000's? Holy crap. Going price now is at least $25/chip. That would have been a great investment!
 
So what happened to the secondaries? I see a few sample sets around and singles here and there but I haven’t seen anyone with a playable set of secondaries.
 
I also recall hearing awhile back from one of the old time chip dealers that were able to get sets directly from Crystal Park by redeeming Players Card points. I think those are the sets that came with a Crystal Park case if i remember correctly. Not sure when that was, though.

Those cases were just regular cases for which we made a couple of decals and stuck them on. Nicknames of bumblebees for th3 $5’s and blueberries for the ones. I believe I made up the Dark Side Of the Moon motif bit too. They have changed hands mor3 times than any chips around for sure. The secondary $25 with olive and red spots are my faves ever
 
As most of you know, I just won a set on eBay. I missed out on the CP decal case the seller had. His story is that he got them straight from the casino. That would substantiate gmunny’s story.
 
As most of you know, I just won a set on eBay. I missed out on the CP decal case the seller had. His story is that he got them straight from the casino. That would substantiate gmunny’s story.

Why don’t you try to make a decal yourself ? You’re basically calling me a liar. Maybe when you see how easy it is.....you’ll realize that because he claims it, doesn’t make it so. How could I even make it up ?
 
Whooooaaahh!!!!
If you read the post a little bit closer this what you will find:
I was substantiating gummy’s story based upon the fact that he told me he bought the chips from the casino...
I am not calling anyone a liar. Quite the opposite.

Regarding the case I only said that I missed out on a case that was decaled.

Have a pleasant day,
Joe
 
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This was back over 10 years ago. We were also considering making president New Yorker cases too. I’m surprised people haven’t personalized cases with their favorite chips as the theme.


This might start a craze.
 
Those cases were just regular cases for which we made a couple of decals and stuck them on. Nicknames of bumblebees for th3 $5’s and blueberries for the ones. I believe I made up the Dark Side Of the Moon motif bit too. They have changed hands mor3 times than any chips around for sure. The secondary $25 with olive and red spots are my faves ever

Hey Legend, do you have a pic of the case? I can't find a pic, but the cases I am thinking of had a white logo on black. i thought it was on the outside of a black soft shell case, but now I am doubting myself.

Fwiw, the story I referenced above was back when I used to go the the monthly So Cal Chip Club meetings at Hollywood Park. It was pre-CT so probably around 2003 or 04? A few of the old guys who have been collecting and chip dealing for years told me that when Crystal Park just changed over to the New Crystal Casino around 98 or 99. The dealers had tons of CPs back then. Players could exchange their points for poker sets of their old chips. Probably all the lower denoms, but thats from my foggy memory. Not sure how the rest came to market, but my assumption is that one or two dealers bought them directly from Crystal Park. I could have bought a set of chips in a CP case from one of the dealers, but didn't. I really wasn't a fan of CPs and preferred Vineyards :eek:
 
I have pics, will post them but gotta dig them up from the old computer. There was a guy who worked there that I sold some year of $25’s. His handle was king something ? He knew the back story cause he worked there. I remember Omaha Mike had the mother load at some point, and also a guy in Vermont had a bunch of them at the beginning.
 
This was back over 10 years ago. We were also considering making president New Yorker cases too. I’m surprised people haven’t personalized cases with their favorite chips as the theme.


This might start a craze.


I think people with hot dog rollers should start engraving their favourite chip inlays on them.
 
I think people with hot dog rollers should start engraving their favourite chip inlays on them.
Now that's a craze I could get behind. (y) :thumbsup: Adding a new level to hot dog roller pr0n.
 
There is one of the crystal park cases on eBay right now if anybody is interested. Saw it today, didn't copy the link, too lazy to go find it again.
 
There is one of the crystal park cases on eBay right now if anybody is interested. Saw it today, didn't copy the link, too lazy to go find it again.

Wow $75 bucks for a $10 case with 2 stickers . I bet gear could make those labels up pretty cheaply and one could apply 5hem to any case they want
 
Someone is thinking right now.....hmmmm I could make me an empress star case or 2 . Maybe some Aurora star cases....
 
Absolutely amazing collection. I’m curious who all of the Crystal Park owners are now and where the elusive $20 and secondary chips are?
I don’t think there are $10 or $20 secondaries. There are $25-$100-$500-$1000 secondaries.
 

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