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Curiosity, Appeal of TRKs? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter EastCoastCali
- Start date
Lil Tuna
4 of a Kind
There are some of us that prefer leaded Paulsons to lead TRKs. I am one of them.
I think it does come down to personal preference. There’s not an objective answer to which is better, because they have different qualities.
I think it does come down to personal preference. There’s not an objective answer to which is better, because they have different qualities.
Weight of the Cavita LgCrown TRK's prior to milling (courtesy of @sleepypiggly ). I would say here is an example of a leaded LgCrown TRK for sure...
Jeevansluck
Royal Flush
It’s the THUD!
When you raise a pot, and throw them in, then you will know and hear their power!
At least for me, this was the appeal.
When you raise a pot, and throw them in, then you will know and hear their power!
At least for me, this was the appeal.
MeridianFC
Flush
Feel & look
Huskerchipper
Flush
The feel and sound of a stack of leaded TRK's is unparalleled
Sounds like literal bricks being stacked and shuffled
Lil Tuna
4 of a Kind
Part of it is the weight and feel for sure.
Part of it is the historical appeal as you’re playing with chips that are 50 or more years old. Maybe some members used to play at these casinos or their parents played there.
Part of the appeal has to do with the rarity of these chips. There weren’t chip harvesters back then and denominations that are workhorses today were pretty significant sums to gamble with back then, making the $25 and $100 chips very limited in quantity and hard to find today in quantity. This also means whatever is found is usually in good shape though.
Personally I find the colors to be brighter and inlays more thoughtfully designed than modern casinos. Overall it just feels like more effort was put into chip design.
When I walk around a chip show looking for singles to buy, the TRKs are always more likely to catch my eye than THCs even if I have no personal history with the casino.
Part of it is the historical appeal as you’re playing with chips that are 50 or more years old. Maybe some members used to play at these casinos or their parents played there.
Part of the appeal has to do with the rarity of these chips. There weren’t chip harvesters back then and denominations that are workhorses today were pretty significant sums to gamble with back then, making the $25 and $100 chips very limited in quantity and hard to find today in quantity. This also means whatever is found is usually in good shape though.
Personally I find the colors to be brighter and inlays more thoughtfully designed than modern casinos. Overall it just feels like more effort was put into chip design.
When I walk around a chip show looking for singles to buy, the TRKs are always more likely to catch my eye than THCs even if I have no personal history with the casino.
Take away the historical aspect of TRK chips and the allure drops significantly.
Colors are excellent (although limited in number of choices), but available spot patterns are extremely limited and rather lackluster. Weight (when leaded) is excellent, and chip feel (subjective) is well above average for clay chips. Mold options are also limited to just two. Shaped inlays are a plus. Consistency in thickness and diameter is also an issue.
Add it all up, and leaded TRKs are still a solid choice. If wanting a more diverse color pallete or more spot configuration choices, leaded THC molds from Paulson are a better option.
Colors are excellent (although limited in number of choices), but available spot patterns are extremely limited and rather lackluster. Weight (when leaded) is excellent, and chip feel (subjective) is well above average for clay chips. Mold options are also limited to just two. Shaped inlays are a plus. Consistency in thickness and diameter is also an issue.
Add it all up, and leaded TRKs are still a solid choice. If wanting a more diverse color pallete or more spot configuration choices, leaded THC molds from Paulson are a better option.
Lil Tuna
4 of a Kind
That’s like saying take away big block V8s out of American muscle cars from the 60s. Of course there would be much less allure.
And nobody driving their run of the mill Honda Civics these days would want to go fast or make the car look like it goes fast.
TRK did what they do best in a time when this hobby didn’t exist and there wasn’t all these perfectionist chip collectors around to nit pick about it.
TRK did it great the FIRST TIME, this is the TRUE ALLURE of TRK chips and every other chip since has tried to be better or out do TRK. And they’re still trying, it’s why THC guys are always bringing up this conversation and are the biggest nit pickers in the hobby. Always trying to improve something that really needs no improvement at all.
I love my WTHC Paulson chips. It was those Paulson chips that got me interested in this hobby. But as I became more interested in chipping and grew into this hobby I realized that my WTHCs wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for TRK.
If you’re good with second best, they sure as hell are.
Theres two kinds of "leaded" TRKS SCrowns.
some people call the 9-10g chips leaded becasue they're heavier than the 7-8grams one. I think they are semi leaded or something not quite OG leaded.
The OG Leaded TRKs i dont count until its over 11g. The Pix Club i have are almost 12gs, but the Wilburs are around 10g.
As much as i love TRKs, i hate the 7-8g TRKs...they feel like plastic
These I don’t consider OG leaded but they’re around 10g/chip
some people call the 9-10g chips leaded becasue they're heavier than the 7-8grams one. I think they are semi leaded or something not quite OG leaded.
The OG Leaded TRKs i dont count until its over 11g. The Pix Club i have are almost 12gs, but the Wilburs are around 10g.
As much as i love TRKs, i hate the 7-8g TRKs...they feel like plastic
These I don’t consider OG leaded but they’re around 10g/chip
Hey I like TRKs too. I’m just not gonna stand there and pretend that their diminutive edge spots aren’t disappointing.That’s like saying take away big block V8s out of American muscle cars from the 60s. Of course there would be much less allure.
And nobody driving their run of the mill Honda Civics these days would want to go fast or make the car look like it goes fast.
TRK did what they do best in a time when this hobby didn’t exist and there wasn’t all these perfectionist chip collectors around to nit pick about it.
TRK did it great the FIRST TIME, this is the TRUE ALLURE of TRK chips and every other chip since has tried to be better or out do TRK. And they’re still trying, it’s why THC guys are always bringing up this conversation and are the biggest nit pickers in the hobby. Always trying to improve something that really needs no improvement at all.
I love my WTHC Paulson chips. It was those Paulson chips that got me interested in this hobby. But as I became more interested in chipping and grew into this hobby I realized that my WTHCs wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for TRK.
If you’re good with second best, they sure as hell are.
Lil Tuna
4 of a Kind
If it’s about edge spots for a collector……then maybe that collector will be disappointed?
My personal list on what makes a chip great expands much further than just edge spots.
But if it’s all about edge spots, plenty of edge spots out there to go around these days.
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Regarding this thread, recent auctions speaks screams volumes.
Lil Tuna
4 of a Kind
I think I can settle this for the OP with just a picture.
@EastCoastCali,
One rack of chips in this picture wants to be the other rack SO BADLY.
One rack is about 60 years old, the other is just a couple years old.
I agree that not all TRKs are the same. I also hate the super light ones. All large crowns feel like plastic to me. The shallow 4 spot pattern used in all fantasy TRKs doesn’t do it for me either, but hey if they’re heavy it’s passable.
Aw, that's like cheating. It's already practically unanimous that NAGBs are a half step up from dice chips.I think I can settle this for the OP with just a picture.
@EastCoastCali,
One rack of chips in this picture wants to be the other rack SO BADLY.
One rack is about 60 years old, the other is just a couple years old.
View attachment 1382885
Lil Tuna
4 of a Kind
Nobody is making any major financial decisions for a few more months till they figure out what their discretionary incomes may or may not be.
100k and they’re yours my friend.
Lil Tuna
4 of a Kind
Meh, I've had four sets of mint/near-mint TRK casino chips, and every one had something about it that I really didn't like. And since their consistency across sets was crap, trying to create a mixed set with all denoms having similar weights and dimensions is nearly impossible.
Throw in the colors/spots issues, and they become overrated and just not worth the trouble.
Throw in the colors/spots issues, and they become overrated and just not worth the trouble.
No, that's silly talk. It's more like ignoring the historical racing pedigree that many of the muscle car era vehicles enjoyed in Trans Am, NASCAR, etc. Nobody's talking about removing actual components like lead or engines.
I think perhaps you have forgotten that the people who created and manufactured the original TRK chips are also the same people who took it upon themsleves to later improve upon those chips at Paulson (instead of merely copying their own design).
They did, in fact, create a better mousetrap -- adding additional colors, molds, sizes, edgespot choices, and dimensional stability to their original product, and all while lowering costs.
"needed no improvement at all"? History teaches us otherwise.
Lil Tuna
4 of a Kind
All of this is fine. Some of us are ok with things how they were/are. TRK worked really well and still does to those of us who appreciate their original intent.
TRK made classy looking chips for casinos and they did it well. Period!
And they are the envy of many collectors in the hobby whether they’ll admit it or not.
Paulson only went down hill since the golden age....
no more lead
no more texured inlays
no more shaped inlays
no more metal flakes
plenty of the best spots are not available anymore
It's safe to say that the best is behind us and never coming back....
And this page needs a BCC plug
jpietrella
4 of a Kind
I just started my first leaded TRK set. I'll report back here to weigh in once it's done in probably a decade.
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