Johnny Moss Binions 1996 Set of 4 Poker Chips ( each) + Exclusive Free Book!

Description

Up for sale are 4 mint-condition casino chips issued in 1996 to commemorate the life and career of John Hardie Moss Jr. I am a bit of a chip collector and these are among the finest condition chips I have ever come across. Unlike others on eBay, the edges of these are sharp and the fronts/backs/sides are immaculate. See below historic article from the Las Vegas Sun to the story about these chips.
As an incentive to purchase (these chips at below face value!) I am including a free book. I consider myself the unofficial Johnny Moss expert, having researched the man for many years. I wrote a book last year (200 pages) that is a combination non-fiction summary of his life, fictional story of Johnny Moss vs. the modern machine, and an analysis of Moss potentially being the greatest poker player of all time. The Moss family was not receptive to its publication, so out of respect (and not wanting to get into a lawsuit), I never publicly released it for sale. That said, as a truly free gift, I thought it would be nice to offer to Johnny Moss fans who might appreciate. The bibliography alone is eight pages! I will send the pdf file of the book to the email receipt on your payment. If you're so inclined, I would love to hear your feedback on it.
Not included in the auction are the chips from the last picture, which I just wanted to share to show a piece of my collection and dedication to honoring Moss. You will receive the exact four 1996 poker chips pictured otherwise.
Please bid with confidence given 100% positive feedback as both buyer and seller.
Binion chip immortalizes poker player
Monday, April 22, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
For the first time in the 27-year history of Binion's World Series of Poker, hall-of-famer Johnny Moss will not be present -- but that doesn't mean he won't be part of the event.
The three-time world champion, whose legendary gambling career spanned from the dying days of the Old West to the mega-resorts of modern-day Las Vegas, died in December at age 88.
After suffering a stroke last year, Moss went home to his native Odessa, Texas, to live out his final days.
But folks who frequented the cardroom at the Horseshoe, site of the granddaddy of all gaming tournaments that kicks off at 5 p.m. today, will tell you Moss appeared more at home with cards in his hand and chips to toss into a pot.
What better way to honor Moss, Horseshoe officials believe, than to issue a collectors' set of four poker chips featuring moments from the career of the gambler who for more than 20 years was affectionately called "The Grand Old Man of Poker."
"The first set of chips we issued (.50 denominations, featuring 20 world champions, including Moss) two years ago, sold out in 45 minutes and has grown in value from (face) to 0 on the collectors market," said Jim Albrecht, longtime director of the World Series of Poker.
The four Moss chips will go on sale following a brief remembrance ceremony May 1, on what would have been Moss' 60th anniversary to his widow, Virgie, and 13 days before what would have been his 89th birthday.
The set will sell for and will retain at least face value as long as the Horseshoe casino exists.
In addition to the Moss chips, a set of five chips featuring women poker players and a chip honoring current world champion Dan Harrington will go on sale.
Poker chips aside, the tournament will feature quite a bit of gambling as more than million in prize money generated from player buy-ins is expected to change hands in tournament action and untold millions more in lucrative side games.
The 24-event tournament, which begins tonight with the ,500 buy-in Chinese Poker game, has enjoyed such success through the years that officials have had to raise the buy-ins to keep the fields manageable.
A case in point is Wednesday's limit Texas hold 'em contest, which in the mid-1980s was a 0 buy-in event. It has risen during the years to ,000 and ,500 -- drawing a record 560 players last year. This year, it will cost a gambler ,000 to enter the game.
"Generally, we have found that by raising the buy-ins, we get a (15 percent) smaller field, but the prize money still goes up because of the increased fee," Albrecht said.
The World Series concludes May 13-16 with the ,000 buy-in no-limit Texas hold 'em game, which for the last few years has -- and again this year will -- featured a million first prize.
More than 270 players are expected to either pay their way in or win satellite games and thus earn seats at a fraction of the fee.
It was an event Moss won in 1970, '71 and '74, when the game drew just a handful of the world's top players and the first prize was in the five digits.