My Deep Dive into Collecting 999 Silver Casino Gaming Tokens

Lately, I’ve really gotten into 999 silver casino tokens, especially Silver Strikes. They’re this cool mix of gambling history and pure silver that makes for a fascinating collection. Let me tell you about what I’ve discovered during my time hunting these down.

So What Are Silver Strikes?

These are special tokens you win from slot machines, starting in Nevada casinos around ’92. They come in all sorts – from $2 chips to whopping $300 pieces, measuring 1.5 to 3.5 inches across. What really grabs me is that many contain .999 fine silver, turning a casino win into actual bullion. The smaller $2-3 tokens are usually brass, but step up to higher values and you’ll find silver in clever designs like center plugs or outer rings.

Breaking Down the Silver Content

Through handling these tokens, I’ve learned their silver content varies wildly by denomination. I always weigh mine to gauge value – here’s what I’ve found:

• $10 Tokens: Typically have a .999 silver center with brass ring, about 0.60 troy ounces silver. But watch out – after 2005, they made them thinner with less silver, and some later ones have no silver at all.
• $20 Tokens: These feature a .999 silver outer ring with gold-plated bronze center, giving you roughly 0.75 troy ounces silver.
• $28 Tokens: Solid .999 silver with gold plating, averaging 0.65 troy ounces.
• $40 Tokens: My personal favorites – solid .999 silver with gold plating. The big ones weigh about 1.54 troy ounces, smaller ones 1.26. When you find unmarked tokens without denominations, weigh them. If they hit 1.5 troy ounces, you’ve likely scored a $40 strike.
• $200/$300 Tokens: Massive pieces! Older ones contain 12 troy ounces silver, though newer $300 versions switched to 6 ounces solid silver with gold-plated rings.

My Finds and Handy Tips

Just last month, I hit a flea market jackpot – Wild Bill Hickok, Riviera, and Casino Queen tokens at $10 each! Some unmarked ones from Grand Casino and Foxwoods turned out to be $40 strikes when I weighed them at 1.5 troy ounces. That $60 investment became serious silver! Here’s what works for me:

• Weigh everything: I never leave home without my pocket scale. No denomination? Weight tells the story – 1.5 troy ounces usually means a $40 token.
• Check mint marks: These little letters trace origins. Look for AM (American Mint), F (Franklin), S (Sunshine Mint), or SSM (Silver State Mint) – they help determine rarity.
• Avoiding fakes: Stick to tokens marked .999 and be wary of red capsules – they often mean clad tokens. Real Silver Strikes usually come in casino-issued protective holders.

Where to Hunt and Current Market

I’m seeing more stackers and collectors getting into these. The rarer ones? Older $20 or $28 strikes, since many machines got retired. Nowadays, you’ll mostly find $10 tokens at spots like Bellagio or MGM Grand. I’d love to actually win one from a slot machine someday – imagine hearing that silver clink into the tray! For tracking active casinos, SilverStrikers.com is my go-to. While there’s no official price guide, those unmarked larger tokens can bring nice premiums based on weight and condition.

Collecting these silver casino tokens blends history, gambling stories, and precious metal in such a satisfying way. Whether you’re digging through flea markets or hitting the Vegas strip, keep your eyes peeled – your next great find might be just around the corner.