Are there any excessively worn $1 chips out there? (1 Viewer)

[AWenger]

Just for kicks, I took a couple pics of different barrels of chips that I have, mostly $1 chips, in a 66.7 mm racks for comparison. The barrels are in decreasing height from left to right.

In the first picture, the chips fit no more than 20 in a barrel (although the Eldorado Club is close to fitting 21), and in the second picture, all chips fit 21 or more. The California Bell $5s will almost fit 22 in a barrel. If you might be open to mixing molds, the TRK Jessie Beck $1s are very worn - (FYI, they have an inlay but no recess for a label).

When I built my set of really worn Cal Bell chips, I had to cherry pick (err... reverse cherry pick?) the really worn ones. Out of about 700 total $1 chips, there were around 140 really worn $1 chips that fit 21 to a barrel -- so about 20% of chips from a very large lot were really worn & thin.

I remember playing poker at Charlestown WV a couple years ago, and noticing their chips were starting to wear a lot. I'd guess that for any casino that has been open for 5 to 10 years or more, and has a poker room where $1 chips get handled a lot, assuming they have the same $1 chips in play since they've opened, someone can probably 'reverse cherry pick' some really worn $1s that twill fit 21 per barrel. But someone may need to go through 500 chips to come up with 100 worn chips.

Good luck with your search!

 

[Sprouty]

Awesome, thanks for the reference!

What are the yellow $1 chips in the second pic?

 

[WedgeRock]

I was thinking about putting a set of extensively worn chips together. I already have a $5 and $20 chip in mind. Is there anything out there in quantity in a $1 chip?

I'm looking for some Paulson bike tires.

Bike tires? Motor City, Greektown and MGM Detroit all fit the bill and can be had for $1 per chip.

 

[AWenger]

Awesome, thanks for the reference!
What are the yellow $1 chips in the second pic?

You're welcome! As a fellow owner of a few used sets/chips myself (Empress, California Bells, Huntington Park $20s only, Cleveland Horseshoe, it was interesting making these findings and taking these pics for reference as well.

The yellow chip face was a little washed out by light glare in the photos, but it's from some old cardroom in California called "T.T.S.S. ENT" - which is also initialed into the metal inlay. I don't know anything more about them, other than I bought 120 chips off eBay a couple years ago. Link from the Chipguide here -- T.T.S.S. ENT. (TTSS)

P.S. I looked long and hard at buying the Huntington Park sets several times when they came up for sale, but never did (no room on my shelves), but just going by the photos I've seen in the past, showing the HP $1s next to new HP $2 chips, I would guess that the HP $1s pictured in someone's earlier post are worn enough to fit 21 chips in a 66.7mm barrel. The HP $1s are great looking chips, and would be my vote for $1s, if you can get them.

 

[arch3r]

Lucky Derby $1s are quite worn and readily available here: https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/february-12th-multi-casino-sale.17972/

Here are some of mine after cleaning and oiling.

 

[MD Mike]

Lucky Derby $1s are quite worn and readily available here: https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/february-12th-multi-casino-sale.17972/

Here are some of mine after cleaning and oiling.

View attachment 140330

Lucky Derby 1s are super rounded and feel fantastic to me.

Worn chips are like experienced women. There may be no tread left on them tires, but you know they’ve been places and can show you a few things you’ve never seen.

....

...

...

 

[BGinGA]

Yeah, like staph infections.

 

[MD Mike]

Yeah, like staph infections.

Which you can probably get from dirty chips and experienced ladies .... (y) :thumbsup:

 

[MD Mike]

So the hardest part about cleaning those Lucky Derby 1s is that damn outer ring which seems to have sludge built up inside it. I have used index cards and other thin tough plastics to dig out the gunk inside. I also haven’t tried OxyClean yet but scrubbing basically does nothing. It’s so embedded in there.

 

[AWenger]

So the hardest part about cleaning those Lucky Derby 1s is that damn outer ring which seems to have sludge built up inside it. I have used index cards and other thin tough plastics to dig out the gunk inside. I also haven’t tried OxyClean yet but scrubbing basically does nothing. It’s so embedded in there.

Yeah, for really old, dirty, chips, either a presoak in warm, slightly soapy water, and/or running them through an ultrasonic (for those of us with one) for a couple extra minutes with extra agitation helps a little, but doesn't get all the dirt out. To remove remaining dirt in the ring, a couple things I've used are:

- Toothbrush with about 1/2 of the bristles cut off to make them stiffer
- A seam ripper or stitch puller, like the one below -- the end point is not as sharp or skinny as a needle or pin, and it fits in the outer ring in a Paulson THC chip, to do a good job of gently clean out any remaining gunk.

 

[SWEATER]

Let me guess... are the Garden City $20s what you have in mind?

 

[Shaggy]

Yeah, for really old, dirty, chips, either a presoak in warm, slightly soapy water, and/or running them through an ultrasonic (for those of us with one) for a couple extra minutes with extra agitation helps a little, but doesn't get all the dirt out. To remove remaining dirt in the ring, a couple things I've used are:

- Toothbrush with about 1/2 of the bristles cut off to make them stiffer
- A seam ripper or stitch puller, like the one below -- the end point is not as sharp or skinny as a needle or pin, and it fits in the outer ring in a Paulson THC chip, to do a good job of gently clean out any remaining gunk.
View attachment 140398

I use an old exacto knife. I run the blade backward through the groove. This works when the grime is stuck in the canes as well. Don't have to worry about this that much on the CaliBell $5s though... the grooves and canes are pretty much worn off.

 

[WedgeRock]

A tooth pick, or the pointy end of one of those floss tools would work with less chance of damaging the chip.

 

[MD Mike]

A tooth pick, or the pointy end of one of those floss tools would work with less chance of damaging the chip.

I like this idea because I can use it for what it was originally designed for and then use it on chips!

 

[Poker Zombie]

I like this idea because I can use it for what it was originally designed for and then use it on chips!

...just make sure you use it in that order

 

[Sprouty]

I like this idea because I can use it for what it was originally designed for and then use it on chips!

Remind me to never handle your chips.

 

[arch3r]

I like this idea because I can use it for what it was originally designed for and then use it on chips!

Brings a whole new meaning to minty chips.

 

[Emlemleml]

I like this thread

 

[Sprouty]

So I have been working on my well worn mixed set. While it is currently playable it's not quite where I want it to be so keep in mind that this is still a work in progress. I will start out with some pics.

As far as wear goes, I am happy with the Grand Victoria 5s and the Garden City 20s. I also like the colors of each of those chips. While none of the chips in my line up fit 21 to a barrel in Paulson racks (66.7) which is what @AWenger uses in prior posts as a reference, the GV 5s and the GC 20s both fit 21 per barrel in my chipco racks (67). Pics below using a chipco rack. I will also be using the chipco rack as the qualifier for wear for this set.

20 chips chipco rack

GV & GC 21 chips chipco rack

Side note; The GC 20s could be forced into the Paulson rack but didn't pass my "fit test". In order for chips to fit you need to be able put a barrel in and out of the rack without sticking.

I have a hopeful candidate on their way to replace the Chips Bremerton 1s as the Bremerton's just aren't worn enough to go with the rest.

The roulettes also need to be replaced. If anyone out there has some worn roulettes with inlays please let me know. I am even okay with the roulette mold. I am not sure where I got the below chips but it is a prime example of what I am on the lookout for.

I will likely update the thread as I continue to change up the set.

Thanks again for those who have previously contributed to this post with helpful information.