Dealing Buck

So what is a 'Dealing Buck', you may ask? Well, a dealing buck was an object used by a House Dealer to indicate which player represented the current dealer in a game of cards. In the Old West days an upscale saloon, like the Oriental Saloon, would have their own dealers. Luke Short, Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday were all at one time hired as House Dealers. In a game of Bluff Poker with Doc working as the House Dealer the "Buck" would be placed in front of the person who's turn it was to deal. The "Buck" was Doc's way of keeping track of who had the deal. That person didn't actually get to deal the cards that was Doc's job. So the "Buck" moved from player to player after each hand always moving to the players left. Much the same as the "Big Blind" and "Little Blind" are used today in the game of Texas Hold'em.

A "Dealing Buck" could be made of most anything but it was almost always made of a quality material such as Silver, Nickel or Ivory.

At Old West Antiques you will find two 'Dealing Buck". One is made of Nickel Silver and stamped " Mason & Co. " the other is made of Elephant Ivory.