u/themraries

Hey everyone,

I work in the casino industry and frequently find myself hunting for historical pieces. I wanted to share a bit of detective work on a recent find I made at a shop in town. I picked up this 1986 Caesars Palace $100 20th Anniversary Slot Token with a solid 10KT gold center.

After digging through some archives, I’m about 90% sure this is the exact physical specimen that belonged to Gary Acquistapace, who was a legendary figure in the casino collecting world.

The Evidence:

If you look at the archive photos compared to mine (white gloves), the unique toning/oxidation spots on the 10KT gold center around "Las Vegas NV" and the gold weight stamp match up to me.

I Apologies for the lower-res scans of the original, those photos have been on the web since 2012, so they're the only size available.

I’ve been in contact with the buyer who purchased Gary’s entire collection after he passed in 2020. They confirmed they sold Gary’s specific token to a collector, who then sold it to another collector. The trail goes cold after that second handoff, but it fits the timeline for how it eventually ended up back on a Vegas shelf where I found it.

Does anyone here have any knowledge on these types of slot tokens? I’m trying to be as thorough as possible with the history of this piece.

Hi everyone,

I’m over here from r/Coins—a mod there suggested this group might be a better fit for a specific research project I’m working on.

I’m trying to verify the history of a recent find and would really appreciate your expertise. I recently picked up this 1986 Caesars Palace $100 20th Anniversary Slot Token (Solid 10KT Gold Center variety).

Just to clarify, this is a slot token, not a Silver Strike, though I know the two hobbies are very closely linked.

After doing some research on the ChipGuide (Ref: CG068106), I noticed some similarities between my token and the reference photos contributed by the late Gary Acquistapace back in 2012.

The Comparison:

• White Gloves: My photos taken recently.
• Archive Scans: Gary’s original scans from nearly 12 years ago (apologies for the low resolution; they are the only records I could find).

The "Fingerprints": I’m specifically looking at the toning patterns. Even though my token has reached "terminal toning" (almost black) on the outer silver ring over the last 14 years, the oxidation markers around "Las Vegas NV" and the "10KT" stamp on the reverse seem to match up to me, but I'd love to hear what you all think.

The Market Trail: I’ve been in contact with the buyer who purchased Gary’s collection after his passing in 2020. They confirmed they owned Gary's specific token and sold it to another collector a few years back. While the trail goes cold after that buyer sold their inventory, it seems to fit the timeline of how this piece ended up at the shop in Las Vegas where I found it.

I'm trying to be as thorough as possible and would value any insight you can provide.

Thanks in advance for the help!

[effacé]