This Golden Nugget chip is from the 1960’s and is a classic example of a vintage chip and has the trademark GN sign of the 40’s and 50’s. Because casino chips were worthless outside the casino, they were always cashed in, but some found their way out of town and now have collectible value.

The Golden Nugget Casino opened a year later in what’s now known as Glitter Gulch.

As it happened, it opened the doors to a gaming industry that has grown beyond anyone’s wildest dreams.Īlthough downtown Las Vegas set the stage for gaming in 1932, the Las Vegas Strip didn’t get started until 1945 with the El Rancho Vegas and Bugsy Siegel’s Flamingo. Had the government used Las Vegas as the center of its operation, Las Vegas’ growth might have taken a different direction. In response, the Nevada legislature legalized gambling on the local level knowing full well the workers would pour into Las Vegas on payday.

The new dam guaranteed more than 22,000 men and their families would move to the area, but the federal government refused to use Las Vegas as the hub. Las Vegas was established in 1905 and until construction on Hoover Dam began in 1931 the town survived on illegal backroom gambling and prostitution. What to buy here: Collectible “Golden Nugget” Casino Chip and Dice, Custom Poker Chips.