I have noticed that for the last few years (maybe 4 or 5), I have a lot of luck finding stuff in December. This year proved no different. It's not that I found so much, but what I did find was so good. I got two good buys, and today, I received the first.

I have been looking for a yellow "non-negotiable" ncv from the Alhambra Casino in Aruba for more than 15 years. I saw an auction on ebay back then, but didn't win it. Here's the photo:

No yellow non-negotiable was listed in Ralph Pollack's guides, just an orange one. A number of years ago, I got an orange one:

The Chip Guide only shows the orange one, not the yellow variation. I have wondered whether the original photo/scan accurately represented the color of the "yellow" chip.

Anyway, just last week, an auction showed up with what looked to be a yellow-orange non-negotiable Alhambra chip. The price was reasonable and...it was a buy it now!! I pounced and paid and waited. It occurred to me after I paid that I might be the victim of a bad scan, but the picture was somewhat orange colored, not the usual color that results from a bad scan of a bright orange chip. I have been the victim of poor scans before and was pretty wary.

The chip showed up today and low and behold, it is a orange-yellow chip. Not exactly like the yellow scan and definitely not like my other orange chip:

Just in case you think my scans may be unreliable, here is a scan of both chips together:

I suspect the yellow variation is real, but we may never know. Anyway, something new for Aruba collectors.

I will post my other purchase when it arrives.

Michael Siskin