Collector chip series will honor America250
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CANFIELD -- The Canfield Fair collectible chips will feature America250 this year with a special red, white, and blue chip that will be available from any Fair Director during this year's fair, according to Fair Director Woody Woolman.
"We are getting 1,000 of these chips made," he said. "We believe they will be highly collectible."
The poker chip collectibles started in 2021, when Woolman came up with an idea to highlight the many aspects of the fair, including the harness racing. He came up with the idea of printing the venue and a race horse on one side of the chip with the Canfield Fair logo on the flip side.
In 2021, the first two poker chips were released and featured the Hay and Grain Building and the race horse "Single G." The release of the chips also came with a special offer.
"You could get the chips free at the Hay and Grain Barn and at the Speed Barn office," he said. "Then you could take the chip to a harness race and exchange it for a $2 bet."
At the end of the day, no one had turned the chip in for a bet. Since that first year, the offer remained with zero takers.
"People were collecting them and keeping them," Woolman said. "I haven't even seen them on eBay."
Since 2021, 15 poker chips have been issued and this year three more will be added. One features rooster crowing and another will feature the race horse "Charlie May." The third one is extra special.
"We will have a red, white and blue chip for America250," Woolman said. "With the fair celebrating its 180th anniversary, we felt the America250 chip would be a highly prized one."
Woolman said 1,000 of the America250 chips were made, but all others have only had 500 made. Once that amount is reached, the mold is discarded so no more can be made. The decision to double the America250 chip was made in anticipation of being a collectible by itself.
"We think that chip will be highly collectible," he said.
He said each fair director will be given some of the America250 chips to hand out. Once they are gone, that's it. As for the other two new ones, the rooster crowing chip will be available near the chicken/rooster cages near the antique farm equipment, and the Charlie May chip will be available at the Speed Barn office.
The chips also will be available at the Harness Racing Museum in the Speed Barn complex at a cost of $3 each. Proceeds from the sales goes into the next year offerings.
The Poker Chip Collection
2021 -- Horse "Single G" (red) and Hay and Grain Building (green)
2022 -- Columbiana-Mahoning Bee Keepers (yellow), horse "Darnley" (purple) and Agnew's Equipment (black)
2023 -- Mule Races (orange), Myers Equipment (light tan) and horse "Missouri Time" (blue)
2024 -- Horse "Tan Man" (brown), cattle department (gray), pumpkin show (orange) and 4-H (green)
2025 -- Horse "Magestic J" (green), Senior Fair sheep department (pink) and Horse and Pony Pulls (white)
2026 -- America250 (red, white, and blue), rooster crowing (red) and horse "Charlie May" (black)