Binion's $1 million Dollar Display

The grand Binion’s gambling hall was what spurred the transformation of Fremont Street from a rough and dirty patch to a place to rival the Las Vegas Strip itself. It was opened in 1951 by the notorious, yeehaw-ing Benny Binnion, who naturally had gold coins for buttons on his shirts. He knew how to treat his gambling customers if he wanted to win big: he was among the first to offer free drinks for slot-machine players, as well as airport limo rides for his high rollers.

Today, the place retains a genuine country western flavour and is packed full of cowboys and cowgirls dressed to impress. Benny would have been proud. What’s more, he would have been delighted to see that one of his favourite displays has recently been restored in his old casino: the Binion's $1 million Dollar Display.

For a long time this display was a Las Vegas tradition: everyone would come and get their picture taken with the 100 $10,000 bills. But in 2000, the then-owner Becky Behnen sold the collection to a coin dealer because it had become to expensive to insure. Come 2008 and new ownership, Binion’s brought back a $1 million Dollar Display — only this time the case is filled with $1, $20 and $100 bills in the shape of a pyramid. Not bad, although the original $1 million was worth rather more when you consider the inflation…