Collecting Layouts

by Sheldon Smith
Slot glass, slot machines and table games, those casino collectibles you never knew folks collected!
As you might recall from our previous article, I had mentioned that there are what I would refer to as: HEAVY LIFTER ITEMS! They are not so much heavy as they are impossibly, in some cases, expensive to acquire. I number among these items; slot machines, slot glass, table layouts, actual casino table games, etc.
Let’s explore them item by item.
First, slot machines, they go way back to the end of the 19th century and have been the object in recent times of some very significant prices. They are what we refer to as TWO WHEELERS, actually slot machines of a very distinct antique variety that have two rotating wheels in the front of the machine. I believe the most expensive one I have ever seen sold for $140,000!! a few years back. Many slot machines, obviously, sell for less and many, many are selling the thousands of dollars.

Second, table layouts, while large are sometimes easy to come by if you are at a casino where they are changing the coverings on their table games. Many casinos change the coverings to coincide with their latest promotion or act in their venues. They are difficult to display and not among the higher valued items to collect unless of course they are, and I dislike using this word, RARE!
Third, believe it or not folks collect the actual table games themselves! I have been to a number of folk’s houses where they have a roulette table, yes, the entire table and they have a craps table, and yes again, the entire table! Better have a lot of room in your “Person Cave” if you want to collect those! Pretty expensive, not easy to find and transport from where you do find them. A few places actually will sell you these and when a casino goes out of business, etc., they do become available.

Lastly, and among my favorites are slot glass, the coverings over the mechanisms and front displays. They fall into THREE categories.
The hard to find, made of glass, from the actual casino with the name on them.
The easier to find, but from games that are no longer played, possibly with celebrity faces on them.
And finally, the plexiglass/plastic slot coverings from games that no one ever hears about a month after they go out the door as an unsuccessful try to entice players.
Next time we review what has sold on eBay, what has not sold on eBay and things you should not buy!

Sheldon and Christine Smith are now the co-chairs of the 2015 convention of the Casino Chip & Gaming Token Collectors Club, Inc. (www.ccgtcc.com) taking place in June 2015 at the South Point Hotel-Spa-Casino in Las Vegas. They have over 1450 $1 Nevada casino chips in their collection! Sheldon is the current President of the Southern Nevada Casino Collectible Club (SNCCC).

Casino Memorabilia with Sheldon