I just saw Travis’s post “END OF THE COLLECTION” below. I would like to share one story about how important Travis Lewin is to me. Back in time when PC’s and the internet were not to be had by the average person, I met Travis. At that time other chip collectors were hard to find, you made contact by way of snail mail and every now and then a long distance phone call that charged you by the minute. Travis and I became friends; we did everything long distance chip collecting buddies should do and have remained good friends for over 35 years. Here is a small meaningful tribute to Travis and five other chip collecting buddies.

There are many meaningful friends in my chip collecting life. This is a small gesture of respect that I have paid to 6 of them for many years of love and friendship. All of them have heightened the joy in my favorite hobby, chip collecting. It is a delight whenever I talk or get together with any of them. I am a lucky guy to have all of you as family and friends.

Many years ago I saw my first vintage small two part gambling horse top and they became one of my favorite gambling collectables. Drew and Tegan were still in grade school when I saw my first top and they already shared my enthusiasm for the chip collecting hobby.

Drew is now 44 and Tegan is 42. Tegan was in Napa High School machine shop and made me this larger than average two piece horse top his senior year in 1995. Tegan made the main body out of stainless steel and the changing odds were made of bronze. Over the years I wanted to have it engraved in a traditional way, with famous horses on the bottom and changing odds on the top. Every few years I got bids from commercial engravers because a trophy shop could not engrave the hard stainless steel. Over the years all the bids were way out of an acceptable price for me. This bid ritual was repeated every 3 or 4 years for 23 years.

About a year ago I was at a wine trade show in Sacramento with Tegan; we were looking over everything possibly connected with the making of wine. We stopped at the Silver State Stainless booth for Tegan to talk with his owner friend Richard Sharke about some stainless steel tanks. While they were talking I saw some engraving on some of their stainless steel. I relayed my costly story to Richard and asked who did their engraving; I was looking for another bid. Richard said he would send it to his engraver and have it engraved for free because he liked Tegan and the story.

Richard had it done well before for the 2019 chip convention. It is engraved with 6 people that have added enormous enjoyment to my life long hobby. I took my custom made larger than average Horse Top to the 2019 chip convention and displayed it in my show case for all to see. It will be at all future conventions. This top reminds me of many years of love and friendship; it will always be a key piece in my collection. Chips or not you are always welcome at the T .D. S. Antique Gambling Chips table. I thank you Travis for being my Friend.

Having fun Steve.