Ok... long post - but here's the problem:
PART 1: WHAT I KNOW (which isn't much:
For some years, a few of these $1 Harrah's "Chipco-looking" (and I'll explain why I'm calling them that in a sec...) chips have been floating around. For the most part, it has been assumed that the chip may have been a sample or prototype that never went into production. If you know differently - let me know!

To my knowledge, no one has ever really directly attributed these to any Harrah's Casino (although TCR links them to Reno-Tahoe 1991) ,nor has anyone indicated they have been in play at ANY Harrah's (foreign or domestic). [if you know differently - let me know!)

I purchased a $1 white chip (top chip in scan) at the Club Auction in June 2001. These were considered pretty rare then... with no market (except me - I am the "Harrah's market! )

Then this spring/ summer 2002, a significant quantity emerged (at least compared to what had been around for the last 10 years...) in the "Caro Collection" which was sold in "lots" on Ebay over the course of several months. In addition to white $1 chips, for the first time, we saw the green $25. If you had knowledge or owned the $25 BEFORE the Caro sale, let me know

WHAT'S HAPPENING:

The original $1 white I bought in June 2001 has no UV marks... (which would be consistent with it being a sample or prototype. The "new ones" (the $1's and $25's from the Caro Collection) have UV markings (and ironically, JUST today - I noticed it resembles a "barcode-security" mark shown on the B et G website. This of course, may or may not mean anything - but it certainly caught my attention.)

Chipco can not positively ID the chip as theirs. Been communicating with Jodie Cooper and her supervisor (who according to Jodie ahs been there since "Day 1") trying to positively attribute this chip to SOMETHING. Jodie and I were on the phone when she saw the scans. Her immediate response was, "It's ours." (why not? it LOOKS like a Chipco!)

NOW she's not so sure. They is NOTHING to indicate Chipco produced these chips - ESPECIALLY in a quantity - although a number were sold in Caro auctions. Now - this again would suggest my orginal white may have been a prototype or sample - but if that's the case... who made the others?

Chipco wanted edge shots - which I sent. They still can not confirm they produced these chips.

WHAT I WANT TO KNOW
1. TCR authors? Doc Myers? What year/ edition did the $1 first appear? (# N0560 - listed as 1991).
Do you know who originally submitted it?
or why it was linked to Reno-Tahoe?
or why was is dated as 1991?

Chipco wants "more info" - yeah right!! Like we'd know more about their chips than they do?? We're just hoping the "offical recording" of the chip was long enough ago to elimiate a half a decade of other possibilities.

2. If Chipco didn't make them, who did? Who else makes this style of chips? ( B et G kind of does, right? Could these be B et G's? Could Caro have made them? or another manufacturer? ) If yes,- who?

3. Could the original white (the one I got in 2001- no UV marks) could have been produced by one manufacturer and the UV marked chips by another?

4. Does anyone KNOW anything about these chips from FIRST HAND experience? (like when you first saw one - and I mean SAW one... not heard about them). I have even heard the white $1 chip was spotted in a scan of "mixed" Harrah's chips that was printed on the cover of a stock-holder report some years ago. Has anyone else see that? Does anyone HAVE that picture/ report??

5. To anyone who has these chips:
If you owned either chip - the $1 or $25 BEFORE... oh... April 2002 - let me know!
If yes - when did you get it and does it have UV marks?
If you got the chips this year (many people did) - if yours DOESN'T have horizonal "lines" UV mark like seen in scan - I want to know.

6. And FINALLY - does anyone have ANY Chipco with a similar "barcode/ horizonal lines" UV marking as seen in scan. I get the feeling my contact at Chipco doesn't think that's theirs either.

THANKS for you your help if anyone has something to help. Until I can figure "WHO MADE IT"... I don't think I'll ever know (for sure) the WHERE, WHEN or WHY's.