The first Nevada Silver Premium Gaming Tokens were issued in 1992 by Harvey's Resort in Lake Tahoe, NV. These tokens are available only by winning them out of a quarter slot machine. The tokens are dropped by the machine when won. However, the early issues did not include the plastic holders that are currently used to protect the tokens from handling and abuse the machines can give them. Therefore, the early issues usually will show some wear and tarnish on them. The issuing of these premium tokens slowly developed over that year and in 1993 numerous other casinos came on line with new issues. The first issues were of the $7.00 pure silver varieties, until the casinos saw these tokens leaving the casinos as souvenirs and pure profit over what they pay for the tokens. Next came the $28.00 issues from $1.00 slot machines. These tokens usually have a layer of heavy gold electroplate on them making them look more desirable. The casinos then started replacing the $7.00 issues with a larger sized $10.00 issue that are "inserts". In that the Pure Silver center is inserted into an outer ring not made of Silver. This outer ring is usually Gold Electroplated and sometimes is actually a highly polished Brass ring. Next, the $28.00 issues were replaced with a much larger sized $40.00 issue. You can find two sizes of the $40.00 issues, one the same size as the $10.00 issues and the other size is much larger. One example is the two $40.00 Caesar's Lake Tahoe issues that have identical designs. Recently, the casinos have started issuing two new denomination's a $20.00 and a $200.00. The $20.00 varieties are in a $1.00 slot machine and the $200.00 varieties are paid by the attendant when won from a $5.00 slot machine.
With all of the fervor in the hobby about whether an item is "OBSOLETE", this author will not attribute this connotation to item in this guide unless the casino has "CLOSED". Any token whose casino is still open and the specific tokens are not available currently in a slot machine as usual, will be given the notation "RETIRED". As the author and a collector, I have personal experiences that although a machine has been removed from the casino floor the tokens were still available for purchase at the Casino's Cashier's Cage. Three recent examples (January 96) of this have been found at the Golden Gate, King 8 and Flamingo Hilton Casinos. All had discontinued tokens available for sell or trade.
The "Play" column in the database is used to denote whether the tokens are Current, Obsolete or Retired from Play. This section of the database is not guaranteed to be accurate.
The legend for the column is:
C = Current in Play
O = Obsolete Casino is Closed
R = Retired from Play
***** NOTE *****
It has been noted that some Nevada casinos which were "CLOSED", have reopened recently using their old chips. Don't be surprised if this should happen with some of the Silver Premium's in the future.
REEDED - This refers to the edge of the token. If the token is reeded it has groves running around its entire edge like that of a quarter coin.
PART REEDED - If the token is part reeded the token will have an alternating edge of groves and smooth surfaces around its edge.
PLAIN REEDED - Referring to reeding this notes that the token has a smooth edge entirely around the edge of the token like that of nickel coin.
COIN ALINGED - This refers to the alignment of the design to the face and reverse of the token. All U.S. coins are "Coin Aligned". If you take a U.S. coin and turn it over from top to bottom the design on the opposite side is right side up.
MINT MARK - This refers to the Company that minted or produced the token.
FACE - This refers to the side of the token that contains the design of the Casino's Logo's or owners. Nearly all $7 and $10 tokens have the inscription ".999 FINE SILVER" on the FACE side at the bottom of the ring. The $28 and $40 tokens have the inscription "24 Karat HGE" or "24K Gold" on the FACE side at the bottom of the ring. EXCEPTIONS are noted in the Appendix.REVERSE
- This is the side of the token which usually depicts a design not related to the casino. Nearly all of the tokens have the casino's name on the on the REVERSE side at the bottom of the ring. The $28 and $40 tokens usually note ".999 FINE SILVER" on the REVERSE side at the bottom of the ring. EXCEPTIONS are noted in the Appendix.FROSTED
- This refers to a token which has a frosted appearance on the designs with the flat areas having a mirror like finish. Frost occurs on tokens which are struck when the dies being used are new. Frost wears off as the dies are continued to be struck. In coin collecting these can be refered to as "Prooflike", "Cameo" and "New Die Proof". Since Frosted types will likely be found on most tokens they will not be reffered to as a variety and not listed separately in the guide.