A living archive of casino history.
Learn how Casino Time Capsule documents casino history, evaluates sources, credits images, and marks unresolved questions.
Preserve the places, objects, people, and companies that shaped casino culture—and make their stories useful to anyone curious enough to look closer.
History needs more than a list.
Casino Time Capsule is a growing online museum, research reference, and knowledge hub for the stories and material culture of casinos.
It is built for the person who wants to know more: the history behind a casino chip, the company that made it, the property that issued it, the visual choices that defined an era, or the details that can disappear when a casino closes and its artifacts are scattered.
This is not simply a price guide or a list of collectibles. It is a place for context. Every chip, deck of cards, pair of dice, photograph, layout, sign, and casino record has a larger story behind it.
Observe first. Research carefully. Show the sources. Say clearly when an answer is still unresolved.
Oscar Lappalainen
Las Vegas–born collector, casino-history researcher, designer, and video creator.
I have lived in Las Vegas my entire life. Casinos are part of the backdrop of everyday life here—not just as destinations, but as places filled with design, history, objects, and stories worth looking closer at.
I earned my bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design and Media from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2024. That background shapes the way I approach casino history: through dates and evidence, but also through typography, chip design, interiors, branding, layouts, signage, and the small visual decisions that tell us what a property wanted to be.
My collecting began with one chip and grew into a deeper commitment to learning about the properties, manufacturers, and people behind the objects. I am still learning every day—and this archive is where that research can become useful to someone else.
A chip is never just a chip.
Objects become meaningful when they are connected to their maker, property, era, and documented history.
What I collect
My personal focus is on T. R. King chips, especially Small Crown chips, along with a small number of related TRK objects. Their craftsmanship and history have remained the center of my collecting interest.
What the archive connects
Casino records, chips, manufacturers, layouts, tables, people, visual culture, videos, and sources belong together. The archive is designed to let visitors follow those relationships.
What it will not become
Casino Time Capsule is not intended to be a price guide. Market claims change; historical context lasts. The priority is trustworthy knowledge and visible evidence.
Come with a question. Leave with a trail.
Casino Time Capsule is for researchers, collectors, former casino employees, longtime Las Vegas fans, travelers, and anyone who has looked at a casino or an object and wondered what happened there.
The goal is for every visit to feel worthwhile: learn something real, find the next connection, and know where the information came from.