This is an ADVANCE notice of the release of what I believe is the nicest Limited Edition set ever to be released in Lake Tahoe.

The release is from Nevada's oldest casino continuously owned by one family. This family has been providing live gaming in Lake Tahoe for over 40 years. It is also the only place today on the North Shore where you can find live poker. And, it is the home of the Shareholder (Slot) Club.

If you know your Tahoe casinos, you'll know I'm talking about Jim Kelley's Tahoe Nugget. This is the first time any LE's have been issued by this fine family.

This Limited Edition release consists of four denominations. There are 200 each of the $1, $5, and $25 chips and 25 of the $100 chips. These chips are available in only in numbered, matched sets.

Set numbers 1 through 25 consist of all four denominations ($1, $5, $25, $100) and has a total face value of $131. Set numbers 26 through 200 consist of three denominations ($1, $5, $25) with a total face value of $31.

The set is a tribute to some of the great chips issued by the Kelley family over the last 55 years.

The $1 chip is patterned after the Tahoe Nugget $1 chip issued in the early 1960s.

The $5 chip brings back the classic Kelley family trademark of the inlay with the twin golden nuggets.

The $25 chip gets my early vote for chip of the year. I must admit, though, I'm not impartial. It recreates one of the most classic Northern Nevada chips of all time -- the 1947 "Home of More Jackpots" $25 chip. The picture below shows the original 1947 Nugget $25 and the one that is a part of this set:

To get the original $25 chip today, you'd have to invest anywhere from $450 to $750. To get the new $25, as well as the other chips in this set, will cost face value only plus P&H...if you're quick. More about that in a couple of paragraphs.

The other tribute this set makes is to the patriarch of the Kelley family, Jim Kelley. Mr. Kelley's picture is featured on the $100 chip as well as the common reverse side. The entire set is pictured in the first response to this post.

The nicest part of this e-mail is the pricing. You'll have a few choices. I'll certainly have sets available. I haven't even priced them as yet, but they certainly will be a good bit above face value !!

These sets will be released at the Tahoe Nugget on Wednesday, February 12th, at 9am. As mentioned above, sets of all four denominations will be $131 face value and the 3-chip sets will be $31 face value. So, your second option is to stop in at the Nugget to obtain your set(s).

Now the best part. Your third option is to acquire the set(s) you'd like by sending a MONEY ORDER directly, made payable to Jim Kelley's Tahoe Nugget. PERSONAL CHECKS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

The numbered and matched four chip sets are $131 face value + $5 for P&H and insurance, $136 total. Since the $100 chip of the set mentions the Shareholder Slot Club, all orders for four chip sets will also include two BLANK Shareholder Slot Cards - one for your slot card collection, and one to trade.

The numbered and matched three chip sets are $31 face value + $3 for P&H and insurance, $34 total.

If you are a regular reader of the BB, you'll remember that I made a post on February 3rd titled "Calling all Lake Tahoe Collectors." All those who responded to this post as well as those who have asked over the last six years to be included in the Chips Off the Old Block Address Book Special (ABS) List were sent e-mails with this information Tuesday evening.

ORDERING YOUR SETS

To order your set(s), click on the link below. That will take you to an order form. Print it off, fill it out and mail it to the address shown.

NOTE: If you are interested in a four chip set, please indicate on the order form what you would like to do if this 4-chip set is no longer available by the time your Money Order is received. For example...receive two or three 3-chip sets and a refund for the difference...etc.

If you would, please also send me an e-mail and let me know if you like the set and have placed an order. I'd like to keep a database of interested chippers for future similar projects.

Last but not least, Chips Off the Old Block has moved to a bigger and better location: http://cotob.net

Please change your bookmark.

Less than five months to the convention. Hope you see you in June.

Terry

Terry Lazarus
Chips Off the Old Block
PO Box 57
Dallastown, Pa. 17313

Toll-free 24 hours: 1-888-CHIPS-97