Casino Card Appraisal

Avalon Casino Souvenir Card

This item is a commercially produced postcard or greeting card, still sealed in its original clear plastic packaging. The card itself appears to be a light-colored, possibly off-white or cream, paper stock. On the visible portion, there is a black and white line drawing of a building with a tall, slender structure, resembling a palm tree, next to it. Text is printed beside the drawing, identifying the subject as the 'AVALON CASINO' on Catalina Island, California. The text describes the casino as a 'twelve-story circular building,' 'erected in 1929 at a cost of $2,000,000' (note: OCR indicates '1979,' but historical knowledge confirms the casino was built in 1929, suggesting a historical typo or misprint in the image's text). It further notes that the building houses the Casino Theater, Catalina Museum, Catalina Art Association Gallery, and a 'world famous circular ballroom.' The card is preserved in its original clear plastic sleeve, which has some minor creasing, but the card inside appears to be in excellent, untouched condition. The edges of the paper card are clean and sharp, indicating no wear or damage. The back of the card, or the inside if it's a folded greeting card, is not visible. This item is likely a souvenir from Catalina Island, probably produced in the mid-to-late 20th century given the printing style and the type of information presented. The craftsmanship is typical of mass-produced tourist ephemera, with clear printing and a simple line drawing.