I found a forgotten Sacramento Kings Casino Chip

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Took a drive to Cache Creek Casino and was curious whether there might still be any Sacramento Kings signage or promotions around the property. The gift shop staff told me Cache Creek is no longer a Kings sponsor.

Before leaving, I decided to make one more inquiry at the cashier’s cage. A teller mentioned that Cache Creek is currently a sponsor of the Golden State Warriors, but they had recently come across a few old Sacramento Kings chips that staff had received as tips.

The chips are still valid table chips, and I was able to purchase the three they had available.

I was excited to find a little lost treasure from Sacramento Kings history. These chips feature the Kings logo that was used from 1994 through 2016 and identify Cache Creek as an “Official Partner of the Sacramento Kings.”

Now the detective work begins. I’m hoping to learn exactly when Cache Creek partnered with the Kings and when these chips were issued. Based on the logo and design, they appear to date from the Kings’ Arco Arena era, possibly during the exciting playoff years when Sacramento basketball was at its peak.

Sometimes the most interesting collectibles aren’t trading cards or autographs. They’re small pieces of local history that tell a story about the connection between the Kings, their fans, and the Sacramento community.

The Biggest Shot I Missed: I Kept the Kings and Not the Jordans

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1986-87 Fleer Sacramento Kings

When Fleer returned to the basketball card market in 1986, it produced one of the most famous sets in hobby history. While collectors often focus on Michael Jordan’s rookie card, the set also captured the Sacramento Kings during their first NBA season in Sacramento after relocating from Kansas City in 1985.

Featured here are Larry Drew, Eddie Johnson, Reggie Theus, LaSalle Thompson, and Mike Woodson—five players who helped introduce NBA basketball to Sacramento fans.

As a longtime Kings fan, I owned dozens of each of these cards, most of which were pulled from packs purchased at a local drug store that I’d ride my bike to as a kid. Unfortunately, I didn’t keep any of the Michael Jordan rookies that passed through my hands over the years.

Today, those Jordans might be worth enough to buy a new car, but these Kings cards tell a different story—the beginning of Sacramento’s NBA journey. Every card has a story, and these cards remind me where my Kings fandom began.