[Gaming Ore]

Formally known as the Bruce Landau Memorial Auction, this annual event is a CC&GTCC Members Only activity. It takes place in the evening of the second day of the Convention.

The Auction allows for mail-in bids, but again, it is restricted to CC&GTCC members only. However, the Auction Program is available to anyone (with Acrobat Reader) as a .pdf file:

http://ccgtcc.com/2007_auction_catalog.pdf

This is a wonderfull resource for those interested in some really nice (and some common) chips. Feel free to download a copy and take a look at some might fine chips and estimated values.

As I mentioned, the auction is named after the late Bruce Landau. The following is from the CC&GTCC website about this man that I have yet to find a chipper that knew him did not consider him to be a friend! What a man he was!

Bruce Landau was one of the initial organizers of CC&GTCC, becoming Charter Member #002 and the founding Treasurer. He was an early collector of casino chips and tokens, starting on a small scale in the early 70's and expanding his collection substantially in the late 70's. He concentrated almost exclusively on Nevada chips and he was fortunate enough to make many trips to Las Vegas on business, helping to feed his hobby.

Following his term as Treasurer, Landau took on the responsibility of chairing the annual auctions when the Club began conducting them at each annual convention. His efforts, combined with those of the numerous volunteers who assisted in the auctions, resulted in the single largest money-making event for the Club each year. The annual auction has been named after Bruce in recognition of his organizational talents and as a memorial to his contributions to the hobby. He was also, after his own induction, Chairman of the Hall of Fame committee.
In 1996 Landau received an offer he couldn't refuse, and sold his entire collection. Typically, however, he immediately started collecting again, concentrating on Nevada but only on specific denominations.
There were few people in the hobby who did not know and like Bruce Landau. He was always optimistic and upbeat, and was always able to provide understanding companionship for established collectors and advice for new ones. His wife Eileen was always by his side and always helping with whatever Bruce chose to do.
Bruce Landau passed away December 19, 2002. Bruce was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.

Jim (Gaming Ore) Follis

[imthatguy]

Thanks for posting this Jim, makes me think I should put in a few bids and pick them up when I arrive on the 10th!

[tastic]

Very cool document! Thanks Jim

[Couga]

Thanks for the post Jim. That is some serious PR0N!!!!

On page 50 or 51 they have the $25 from the Main Street Station in '91-'92. It is the "Apple Annies" chip that is the big brother to that years COTY "Rosie O'grady's" $5 chip from the same casino.

I consider the "Apple Annies" my holy grail of chipping. One day one of these chips will reside in my collection.

Thanks for the post Jim.

- Tom H.
- Couga

[bjjensen]

Jim:

Just curious: do the proceeds of the auction go toward something specific? Does the CC & GT CC get to benefit in any way financially from hosting (i.e., get buyer's premium), or is it just another event at the convention (not that either option would be preferable, just wondering)?

I guess I always presumed that as a 'memorial auction' it was benefitting something specific (such as some foundation or the club building fund). However, from the description it looks like I was assuming incorrectly.

On a side note, I'm not sure some of the more common selections wouldn't just go to eBay. Of course, on those few more items that I would feel qualified to assess, it seems the 'estimated value' is greater than you typically see them go for on eBay, so maybe I answered my question.

bjjensen

[machinelf]

Wow, this is a cool document. Thank you!

[rimmerryan]

So many chips to buy...
So little money left in the bank !!!

Thanks for posting the catalog.
Those chips all look amazing... so many rare ones and hard to find chips !
Good luck to everyone who is bidding on any of them.

R.

[Gaming Ore]

Originally Posted by bjjensen

Jim:

Just curious: do the proceeds of the auction go toward something specific? Does the CC & GT CC get to benefit in any way financially from hosting (i.e., get buyer's premium), or is it just another event at the convention (not that either option would be preferable, just wondering)?

I guess I always presumed that as a 'memorial auction' it was benefitting something specific (such as some foundation or the club building fund). However, from the description it looks like I was assuming incorrectly.

On a side note, I'm not sure some of the more common selections wouldn't just go to eBay. Of course, on those few more items that I would feel qualified to assess, it seems the 'estimated value' is greater than you typically see them go for on eBay, so maybe I answered my question.

bjjensen

Good questions. I will answer as best I can, however, if I make a mistatement Smooth7 (aka: Jay Sands, Vice President-elect of the CC&GTCC and Auction Co-Chair) will set me straight!

The proceeds of the auction go to the CC&GTCC's General Fund. This is detailed in the Auction Catalogue. I believe the Club gets a cut from the buyer and the seller!

As a "Memorial Auction" it is in tribute to Bruce. The auction was his pride and joy and in essence, when he passed away (heart attack at the office Christmas party) the was honoring him by naming the annual auction after him. The Club has done this with several other deceased and once instrumental members. The Robert "Bob" Mera Award is given for the "Recruiter of the Year". The Harvey J. Fuller Award goes to the best article in the Club's magazine.

Bob Mera had a chip shop on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City. It was a defacto meeting place for Eastcoast chippers and many a person became a new collector by stumbling in to the shop and being awed by it's owner and his selections of casino memorabilia.

Harvey Fuller is perhaps best described as the Father of Chip Collecting. Instead of recreating his story, here is the CC&GTCC write-up on this Hall of Famer...


Harvey Fuller was a Los Angeles police officer from 1946 until he retired in 1977. He developed an interest in gaming checks and their history, but it wasn’t until he retired that he had full time to devote to his avocation. Fuller began to travel throughout Nevada, stopping not only in every casino he could find, but coffee shops, diners, barber shops, anywhere that locals gathered and traded stories.
With his investigative training, Harvey listened and steered conversations to old clubs, gaming figures and casino history. His note-taking procedure was unique: he grabbed handfuls of keno tickets with blank backs, and wherever he went he wrote his reminders on the backs of the keno tickets. His research eventually led him to the State’s records, although he found a huge gap from 1948 to 1955, because a fire had destroyed many of the Gaming Control Board’s original records. With persistence and investigation, Fuller did his best to fill in those gaps.
Through Howard Herz, Harvey’s Resort in Lake Tahoe became interested in Fuller’s notes and research, and purchased boxes full of his keno tickets, matchbooks, slips of paper, all of which comprised the research he’d been conducting for years. In 1991, with the assistance of Editor Howard Herz, Harvey J. Fuller’s Index of Nevada Gambling Establishments was published. To this day, Fuller’s Index stands as a primary research source for anyone interested in Nevada gaming history.
In the late 1990’s, Doug Saito persuaded Fuller to talk to him in detail about his research, recollections, and experiences in traveling throughout Nevada and talking with old-timers about their memories. Saito occasionally publishes bits of his conversations with Fuller in his magazine, Chip Chat. Those who have attended CC&GTCC conventions will remember seeing Harvey Fuller with his omnipresent cigarette, always deeply involved in conversation with a seasoned collector, and always telling stories about his original and valuable investigations. Harvey was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.

As you might guess, the Club is made up of many different interests and from a wide variety of economic abilities. The Auction Committee purposely tries to include some items that are of a lesser demand and value so that the auction is not branded as a rich persons event.

Jay, if you read this, be easy on me!

J(GO)F

[rimmerryan]

Thanks Jim for all of the info.

Those fractionals in the catalog are oh so calling my name...
I just can't do it.


R.

p.s. PM on its way... I am stupid and forgot about our deal !!!

[bjjensen]

Originally Posted by Gaming Ore

Good questions. I will answer as best I can, however, if I make a mistatement Smooth7 (aka: Jay Sands, Vice President-elect of the CC&GTCC and Auction Co-Chair) will set me straight!

The proceeds of the auction go to the CC&GTCC's General Fund. This is detailed in the Auction Catalogue. I believe the Club gets a cut from the buyer and the seller!

As a "Memorial Auction" it is in tribute to Bruce. The auction was his pride and joy and in essence, when he passed away (heart attack at the office Christmas party) the was honoring him by naming the annual auction after him. The Club has done this with several other deceased and once instrumental members. The Robert "Bob" Mera Award is given for the "Recruiter of the Year". The Harvey J. Fuller Award goes to the best article in the Club's magazine.

Bob Mera had a chip shop on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City. It was a defacto meeting place for Eastcoast chippers and many a person became a new collector by stumbling in to the shop and being awed by it's owner and his selections of casino memorabilia.

Harvey Fuller is perhaps best described as the Father of Chip Collecting. Instead of recreating his story, here is the CC&GTCC write-up on this Hall of Famer...


Harvey Fuller was a Los Angeles police officer from 1946 until he retired in 1977. He developed an interest in gaming checks and their history, but it wasn’t until he retired that he had full time to devote to his avocation. Fuller began to travel throughout Nevada, stopping not only in every casino he could find, but coffee shops, diners, barber shops, anywhere that locals gathered and traded stories.
With his investigative training, Harvey listened and steered conversations to old clubs, gaming figures and casino history. His note-taking procedure was unique: he grabbed handfuls of keno tickets with blank backs, and wherever he went he wrote his reminders on the backs of the keno tickets. His research eventually led him to the State’s records, although he found a huge gap from 1948 to 1955, because a fire had destroyed many of the Gaming Control Board’s original records. With persistence and investigation, Fuller did his best to fill in those gaps.
Through Howard Herz, Harvey’s Resort in Lake Tahoe became interested in Fuller’s notes and research, and purchased boxes full of his keno tickets, matchbooks, slips of paper, all of which comprised the research he’d been conducting for years. In 1991, with the assistance of Editor Howard Herz, Harvey J. Fuller’s Index of Nevada Gambling Establishments was published. To this day, Fuller’s Index stands as a primary research source for anyone interested in Nevada gaming history.
In the late 1990’s, Doug Saito persuaded Fuller to talk to him in detail about his research, recollections, and experiences in traveling throughout Nevada and talking with old-timers about their memories. Saito occasionally publishes bits of his conversations with Fuller in his magazine, Chip Chat. Those who have attended CC&GTCC conventions will remember seeing Harvey Fuller with his omnipresent cigarette, always deeply involved in conversation with a seasoned collector, and always telling stories about his original and valuable investigations. Harvey was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.

As you might guess, the Club is made up of many different interests and from a wide variety of economic abilities. The Auction Committee purposely tries to include some items that are of a lesser demand and value so that the auction is not branded as a rich persons event.

Jay, if you read this, be easy on me!

J(GO)F

Thanks a ton, Jim! Interesting and useful information. Great to hear that the club gets to benefit from the auction, and those selling/buying can know that they're helping contribute to the club's success.

Thanks also for the info on the other members who helped make the club such a success.

bjjensen