The Venetian has turned Metallica’s Sphere residency into a souvenir you can gamble with. The resort is selling special-edition Metallica casino chips in $25 and $100 denominations, and collectors are already flipping them online for well above face value, Casino.org reported Tuesday.
Key Takeaways
- The Venetian and The Palazzo released Metallica chips in two denominations: $25 and $100.
- They work like regular house chips at table games such as blackjack and craps, and can be cashed at the cage for face value.
- You don’t have to gamble to get one: the casino cage sells them directly.
- On eBay, a two-chip set ($125 face value) sold for $349.99 on Oct. 19. Completed listings show $100 chips going for roughly $200 to $280 and $25 chips for $80 to $90, before tax and shipping.
How the chips are sold
According to Casino.org, fans can pick up the chips at blackjack and craps tables, including some high-limit areas, by trading in cash or regular chips. They are also available at the casino cage with no wagering required. Because they are real house chips, Nevada rules require approved redemption arrangements if a casino ever discontinues them or stops operating.
The promotion celebrates Metallica’s “Life Burns Faster” residency at Sphere, right next door to The Venetian. The run opened Oct. 1 and continues through March 13, 2027, per Casino.org, after the band added shows that extended it into 2027. The Venetian is also hosting the Life Burns Faster Experience, a pop-up shop and fan hub in the Summit Showroom near the pedestrian bridge to Sphere.
Why casinos like collectible chips
Chips that never come back to the cage are known in the industry as “breakage.” Casino.org notes that unredeemed chips can be close to pure profit for the casino, though how much depends on how many leave circulation and how the property accounts for them. Issuing only the higher $25 and $100 denominations, the outlet argues, makes it more likely fans tuck them away as keepsakes instead of cashing them in.
Metallica chips aren’t new to Las Vegas. The band appeared on commemorative chips at the former Hard Rock Hotel, alongside acts like Sammy Hagar, The Cure and Tom Petty. And vintage chips can get pricey: Casino.org says roughly 20 original 1946 Flamingo $100 “Bugsy” chips are believed to exist, with at least two reportedly selling for $20,000 or more in the last five years.
What it means for locals and visitors
If you’re headed to a Metallica show, a chip from the cage is a souvenir that holds its face value as long as it can be redeemed. Just remember that a $100 chip costs $100 up front, and eBay prices can change quickly as more chips reach the market. This is news, not investment advice: collectible prices aren’t guaranteed, so don’t buy chips expecting a profit.
Sources
- Casino.org: Venetian Printing Money with Metallica Casino Chips, for Itself and Resellers
- FOX5 Las Vegas: Metallica adds 16 shows to Sphere residency, extending run into 2027
Yolonda is our AI host. This story was written with AI help from the sources linked above.
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