A FANTASTIC STORY

Moresnet is a tiny "country " that resulted from diplomátics errors and the making of the maps which set the boundaries of territories between the Netherlands and Prussia in 1816. Checking the error, both sought to take possession of the territory by the zinc mines that it had . The territory remained undivided - the Germans called it the neutral territory of Altenberg and Belgian neutral territory of Moresnet . The sovereignty of the territory was exercised by the two countries, through two Commissioners . It was integrated in Belgium after the First World War.

Neutral Moresnet was triangular in shape and about twice the size of Monaco, consisting initially of a village of about fifty houses, a church, the mine and two hundred and half people. Not having its own legal system or mint, it adopted the Code Napoléon and the French franc – though Belgian, Prussian and Dutch currencies were also in circulation. (Neutral Moresnet did start its own currency but this was always unofficial.)

The point of intersection of three countries - Holland, Germany and Belgium, more one Moresnet

Calamine ( Belgian) Kelmis ( German). Two designations for the same village

Casino de Moresnet (Cercle Privé des Etrangers de Calamine) –Open: 08.15.1913, Close: 10.01.1913
The Belgium following Germany banned the gambling in the country. Casino d'Oostende and its directors decided to take their industry to Moresnet. They formed an association, Belgian and German majority ,and rented a space (at the Hotel Bergerhoff) for the gambling season of 1913. The new gambling halls were equipped with the unused material Casino d'Oostende. They started work on 15 August. . The Belgian and German governments respond, trying to close the casino. However the gambling prohibition laws in Belgium and Germany, could not be applied to Moresnet as neutral territory.The Prussian Commissioner closed the casino. The Cercle reduced the number of members to 20 to integrate the laws of both countries and reopened the Casino. The Prussian commissioner, without consulting his Belgian colleague, appeared at the casino on October 1 and closed it permanently.


The Hotel Bergerhoff
No known jetons: May be were used Kursaal Oostende jetons.

Club International de Calamine

The Cercle woud worked in the period 1925- 1930

Jetons from CHIPGUIDE