Museum of Gaming History
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ChipGuide
ChipGuide - A Catalog of Casino Chips and Collectibles
Cathedral City, California
Type: Illegal
Status: Closed
Open: 1934, Close: 1943

Owned by Al Wertheimer, who was a member of the Purple Gang in Detroit. It was considered to be the most opulent illegal casino in Riverside county, and attracted celebrities from Los Angeles. It was raided several times, but after each raid it was only closed briefly. It burned down under mysterious circumstances in 1943.

The United States Playing Card Co. sold 2000 of these chips to the B. C. Wills Co. (a gambling supply company), Detroit, Michigan, on 7/7/33. The USPC Co. sold an additional 2000 chips on 9/10/1938.

Photo of the Dunes Club, 1930s (Courtesy of the Palm Springs Historical Society).

About Illegal Casinos - by their nature, information about illegal, or unlicensed, casinos is hard to find and difficult to verify. Information presented on the ChipGuide about these casinos is provided as the result of our best efforts but may not be 100% accurate. Even if the information is accurate, gamblers move around and may take their equipment with them; items used in one casino may have also been used in others. Please send verified information about illegal casinos to the ChipGuide so that we may improve our accuracy.
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Casino Money
Table Chips (1) [QuickView]
CG100322 Obsolete
Denom: $5
Issued: 1938
Added: 2013-03-21
Last Update: 2022-08-08
Color: Brown
Mold: C&S
Inlay: R-White
Contributed by: Rich Hanover
Casino Collectibles
Chip Order Cards (2) [QuickView]
CG290457
Issued: 7/7/1933
Added: 2022-08-08
Last Update: 2022-08-09
Mftr: United States Playing Card Company.
Contributed by: Dave Horn
CG290458
Issued: 9/10/1938
Added: 2022-08-08
Last Update: 2022-08-09
Mftr: United States Playing Card Company.
Contributed by: Dave Horn
Other Items (1) [QuickView]
CG290625
Added: 2022-08-13
Last Update: 2022-08-13

Photograph of patrons and a poker table inside of the Dunes Club, with inlaid chips visible. Courtesy of the Palm Springs Historical Society.
Total Items (4)

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