Are THC mold chips going extinct? (1 Viewer)

[upNdown]

When I look at all the chips that have come to our market through the chip room and others, and when I look at things on eBay, like singles currently in use, I don't see a whole lot of THC chips. I see TONS of RHC. And plenty of house molds for current chips. But precious few THCs.
I'm pretty sure I'm not imagining this, so I guess the question is, is this a trend and for how long has it been going on?
I'm glad for the THC $1 of the recent Clevelabd Horshoe release, just so I know that they're still being manufacturered at all.

 

[Shaggy]

I think it is because the casinos want more space for graphics... not me... give me more beautiful, colorful clay. I'm pretty sure THC's are still being produced. I can't think of any recent examples though... Actually I can... The NYNY in Vegas is constantly getting replacement $1 THC chips.

 

[Forty4]

Flamingo too.

 

[gopherblue]

Agreed with Shaggy. Plain and simple, the RHC mold is far more popular with casinos because of the larger area for inlay graphics. Plus, it can use grand and oversized inlays easier. Thus, the THC mold is less popular since it is really limited to the smaller 7/8" inlays. Casinos like having the larger area for branding and art. TBH, I haven't seen any recent production all-THC casino racks that I can recall, which is a shame, because they feel much better and stack much better. Plus, the RHC edges have a tendency to fracture more easily and are thus less durable.

 

[Mr. Cheese]

Flamingo too.

Wish they wouldn't have gotten so cheap with the Flamingo's. I loved the 3 color edgespot on the older chips. Now its just so boring.

 

[toad94]

Agreed with Shaggy. Plain and simple, the RHC mold is far more popular with casinos because of the larger area for inlay graphics.

I agree, which makes the current trend of using small 7/8" inlays on RHC all the more confusing. And, when I see a RHC chip (or similarly-sized house mold) with a 7/8" inlay swimming in that sea of a recessed area, I get a little sad.

 

[justsomedude]

Just found some THC at Mount Airy...

 

[upNdown]

Cool!
They don't look very young, but at least they exist.

 

[btbmason]

Cool!
They don't look very young, but at least they exist.

Here's some fresh ones for ya

 

[upNdown]

Here's some fresh ones for ya

View attachment 67453

Love it! I want to eat those.

 

[Thomacetti]

Perfect replacement for the only PCA flaw... (that and 1K chips)

 

[bentax1978]

Perfect replacement for the only PCA flaw... (that and 1K chips)

I finally got my replacements to fix the PCA flaw, albeit 4 years later.

 

[nitzilla]

Just so you know there are others out there:

 

[Blaster]

Nice to see this classic good looking mold being used on current chips .

 

[BGinGA]

I finally got my replacements to fix the PCA flaw, albeit 4 years later.

Surprised you haven't yanked those Aztar inlays and put in PCA hub replacements. Been too busy lately?

 

[slisk250]

Just so you know there are others out there:

...and if they are still in mint harvestable condition, I could sure use a couple racks of these!!

 

[bentax1978]

Surprised you haven't yanked those Aztar inlays and put in PCA hub replacements. Been too busy lately?

Ha! I was going to make a joke about that, but I saw @ovo already liked my post and I didn't want to jeopardize him taking the like away.

In truth, I (generally) only yank inlays off chips that are readily available (e.g. live casino chips like the Venetian/Horseshoe $1 chips).

 

[ovo]

Ha! I was going to make a joke about that, but I saw @ovo already liked my post and I didn't want to jeopardize him taking the like away.

In truth, I (generally) only yank inlays off chips that are readily available (e.g. live casino chips like the Venetian/Horseshoe $1 chips).

good thing. I'm working with @Tommy to create a temporary ban button people can click on when someone mills or relabels chips.

 

[BGinGA]

...and if they are still in mint harvestable condition, I could sure use a couple racks of these!!

No kidding. Those are some sharp chips..... no relabel necessary. Great colors and inlay design. Looks like the entire rack is THC, issued in 2013 (with a RHC grand opening commemorative chip):

 

[Joe E.]

Here's some fresh ones for ya

View attachment 67453

is that an offer to harvest some of those beauties???

 

[btbmason]

is that an offer to harvest some of those beauties???

I've only ever gotten 1 uncirculated rack from the cage, and not for a lack of trying. Most of the time they say no, even with the offer of a $20 tip on top of the cost of the rack.

There's still a bunch in decent condition but you have to sort through a ton of racks to find them. They're still relatively new so it's better than you'll find in most casinos.

 

[rowlin]

Does GPI charge casinos less for RHC chips than THC?

Not sure if I read that somewhere or am just imagining it.

 

[upNdown]

Does GPI charge casinos less for RHC chips than THC?

Not sure if I read that somewhere or am just imagining it.

I've read (not sure if it's good info or speculation) that the RHC mold chips are produced on newer equipment which runs more efficiently, thus lowering the cost for those chips.
I'm not sure I understand why they couldn't just put THC mold cups on the newer equipment.

Here's some speculation - are all the colors/spot patterns that were used up on the THC molds available on the RHC mold?
Are there any unique THC mold color/spot patterns left?
Did I just figure this thing out???

 

[Psypher1000]

are all the colors/spot patterns that were used up on the THC molds available on the RHC mold?

No. The base color/spot color/spot pattern combinations are unique to the proprietor regardless of what mold is used for the chips.

 

[gopherblue]

Are there any unique THC mold color/spot patterns left?
Did I just figure this thing out???

I'm sure someone can do the math but there are 88 or so colors and 48 spot combos. And many of those spot combos can be configured in alternate ways (for example, a basic 4t18 could use three different colors for the spot or the same color sandwiching another color, or three different colors for each spot). Likewise, a 414 spot could all be one color, or one east-west and another north-south, or 4 different colors. If only we had some math nerds around that could calculated the possible permutations. @bentax1978 ?

 

[links_slayer]

I'm sure someone can do the math but there are 88 or so colors and 48 spot combos. And many of those spot combos can be configured in alternate ways (for example, a basic 4t18 could use three different colors for the spot or the same color sandwiching another color, or three different colors for each spot). Likewise, a 414 spot could all be one color, or one east-west and another north-south, or 4 different colors. If only we had some math nerds around that could calculated the possible permutations. @bentax1978 ?

did some quick math. came up with:

 

[Psypher1000]

did some quick math.

I was going to go with eleventy, but threeve sounds more likely.

 

[rowlin]

I think maybe it's eleventy to the threeve power.

 

[Psypher1000]

I think maybe it's eleventy to the threeve power.

 

[rowlin]

No u.