Question of the Day - 25 August 2009

This is a popular topic that we’ve addressed a few times over the years. The bad news is, like coin-in machines, Silver Strikes are a dying breed and each time we answer this question, the number has dwindled, this time more than ever.

For those of you unfamiliar with them, Silver Strikes are limited-edition minted coins of 0.999 pure silver (*see Update), issued as prizes from special Silver Strike slot machines, originally introduced by Anchor Gaming and now manufactured by IGT (which took over Anchor some ago). When you win a strike, it’s encased in a protective plastic holder known as a "cap" and unlike other tokens issued in the casino, which are generally virtually worthless in themselves, some of these coins actually have a face value of $10 (see *Update). Taking into account their collectibility, they often have an immediate street value far higher than that.

The game itself is a reel spinner with a top prize of 2,500 credits. You must wager three credits to be eligible for the Silver Strike prize. If you win one, you have the choice of redeeming it for cash or keeping it as a souvenir. It’s best to keep it, because it appreciates in value and can be sold for more than its face worth (which often doesn’t take long, since each casino regularly issues different strikes, all in limited edition runs; check out www.jackpotauctions.com or eBay to see how collectible these tokens are).

It turns out the last time we did a survey of where you could play Silver Strike machines was over two-and-a-half years ago. The lay of the land has changed a lot since then (including the demise of some of the casinos themselves):

Dec. 2006

• The Strip: Aladdin, Barbary Coast, Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mirage, Monte Carlo, New York-New York, Slots-A-Fun, TI.
• Off Strip: Buffalo Bill’s (Primm), Gold Coast, Hard Rock, Orleans, Palms, Sam’s Town.
• Downtown: California, El Cortez, Four Queens, Fremont, Golden Nugget, Plaza.

August 2009

• The Strip: Planet Hollywood (3 machines, located in front of the cashier's cage)
• Off Strip: Palms (3 machines, one by Club Palms, one by Gardunos, and one outside the poker room) and Sam's Town (2 machines, located just inside the valet entrance)
• Downtown: Four Queens (3 machines, one by the cage, one by the keno lounge, and one by the elevator)

For information, including details of upcoming Silver Strike tournaments, visit silverstrikers.com.

Thanks to those readers who wrote in to inform us that many strikes are no longer silver, but silver-clad (is nothing sacred?!). Some old-school genuine silver strikes are still issued (usually in a red cap, but note that a red cap no longer necessarily indicates a .999 silver strike) but many are just plated these days, which obviously reduces their face value dramatically. You can find more information via the silverstrikers.com link above.