Tropicana 2nd Editions Unboxing pRon (2 Viewers)

[David O]

So I thought I would share some photos of my unboxing of 2nd edition Tropicanas. Please keep in mind I broke out my old Nikon D7000 and it has been a while shooting these types of shots. I did a bunch of sports photography and not this type so it looks like I will have to go back and adjust aperture settings and reshoot some new photos later.

Now these are all pre-cleaned and oil which leads me to a question. Clean and oil or not to clean and oil. I have read and heard two sides to this. One is keep them the way they are due to value and the other side says it does not change the value. Your thoughts and feedback is welcomed.

Thanks!
David O

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[Shaggy]

The labels on the boxes were a pleasant surprise.

 

[David O]

Yes and I like the fact @H|Q used the low tack tape so it did not destroy the boxes getting the tape off. The boxes were a great surprise!

Thanks H|Q

 

[bentax1978]

I'm jealous. My chips have gone (hopefully temporarily) MIA within the USPS system. They were last scanned when they left Ohio on Tuesday, but haven't been scanned since. I'm not too worried yet as this isn't the first time, and won't be the last time, that USPS loses track of a package. Usually within a couple days it gets back on course. Fingers crossed!

In the meantime, I'll just sit back and enjoy your unboxing pr0n.

 

[David O]

I'm jealous. My chips have gone (hopefully temporarily) MIA within the USPS system. They were last scanned when they left Ohio on Tuesday, but haven't been scanned since. I'm not too worried yet as this isn't the first time, and won't be the last time, that USPS loses track of a package. Usually within a couple days it gets back on course. Fingers crossed!

In the meantime, I'll just sit back and enjoy your unboxing pr0n.

Mine did the same. The tracking showed "received" and then "shipped" on Tuesday and it updated this morning that they arrived in San Antonio. Later this afternoon it showed out for delivery and then showed delivered. Got home and they were waiting for me!

David

 

[bentax1978]

Mine did the same. The tracking showed "received" and then "shipped" on Tuesday and it updated this morning that they arrived in San Antonio. Later this afternoon it showed out for delivery and then showed delivered. Got home and they were waiting for me!

David

Cool. Yeah, like I said, not worried at this point. Especially this time of year, things tend to take an extra day and often miss a scan here and there.

 

[Gear]

Now these are all pre-cleaned and oil which leads me to a question. Clean and oil or not to clean and oil. I have read and heard two sides to this. One is keep them the way they are due to value and the other side says it does not change the value. Your thoughts and feedback is welcomed.

I don't have a set of these, but I would answer your question with a question. Do you plan to keep these on a shelf as in investment, or do you plan to get them into play and enjoy them? Either choice is valid, but I would leave them alone for the former, and clean/oil for the latter.

 

[David O]

I don't have a set of these, but I would answer your question with a question. Do you plan to keep these on a shelf as in investment, or do you plan to get them into play and enjoy them? Either choice is valid, but I would leave them alone for the former, and clean/oil for the latter.

It is an investment but would like to play them a couple of times. Of course only with the regulars and not with people I do not know.

I guess the question is.... does cleaning and oiling affect the value?

 

[luckbox]

i like the old school wood racks with those, maybe a very light cleaning and just a small dab of oil would be my course of action, then get them into play with a few friends that can appreciate them....they look great as expected


i am suppose to be on a chip diet but dam i feel like a fat girl eye'in up a box of chocolate donuts..

 

[David O]

i like the old school wood racks with those, maybe a very light cleaning and just a small dab of oil would be my course of action, then get them into play with a few friends that can appreciate them....they look great as expected


i am suppose to be on a chip diet but dam i feel like a fat girl eye'in up a box of chocolate donuts..

Yes I broke out the old school wood racks just for the pRon

 

[DrStrange]

Grats Sir! I like everything about these - the chips - the fine boxes - the chips - the old school racks - and the chips.

Oiling can't help the value of these chips. Might not hurt, but that is the best case.

You know how I am about chips. They are lonely and want to get out of the boxes and onto a gaming table. Often. It is not like these are mint chips. They are meant to be used, fondled by greasy fingers. So how much damage could a little oil cause?

DrStrange

 

[David O]

Grats Sir! I like everything about these - the chips - the fine boxes - the chips - the old school racks - and the chips.

Oiling can't help the value of these chips. Might not hurt, but that is the best case.

You know how I am about chips. They are lonely and want to get out of the boxes and onto a gaming table. Often. It is not like these are mint chips. They are meant to be used, fondled by greasy fingers. So how much damage could a little oil cause?

DrStrange

So you would recommend a cleaning and a bit of oil?

 

[pltrgyst]

I'm jealous. My chips have gone (hopefully temporarily) MIA within the USPS system. They were last scanned when they left Ohio on Tuesday, but haven't been scanned since. I'm not too worried yet as this isn't the first time, and won't be the last time, that USPS loses track of a package. Usually within a couple days it gets back on course. Fingers crossed!

Huh. I've had some Horseshoe Gardenas floating around out there for almost a month now. Seller in California printed his shipping label on Nov. 9, USPS picked them upthe next day. A few days later, status showed "Delivered left with individual" -- but in his CA town. He waited a week, went to the post office, and they essentially said "Shit happens." The next day, they called him and said they had found the package, and it was on its merry way. Since then, nada.

So I hope your luck is better, but you might want to cross more than your fingers....

 

[DrStrange]

If those were in my poker room getting ready for a game . . absolutely, clean them and oil them if needed. I don't believe in 'collectable' poker chip sets. They were meant for action and I would oblige. If you are only ever going to play with them once or twice, maybe leave them in natural condition.

You know I am not the definitive source for this type of advice. I played with my Alpha/Beta magic cards. I played with my baseball cards as a kid. And I play with my poker chips. All as the good lord intended!

DrStrange

 

[DrStrange]

TEST FIRST! please don't mass clean these, test one chip of each type first.

Learned this the hard way with some Ambassador Plaza Roulettes -=- DrStrange

 

[David O]

I have already tested the cleaning of them. I had a sample set of each chip and they cleaned up nicely!

 

[catalyzeme]

They look great, David. Nice pickup!

 

[bentax1978]

Huh. I've had some Horseshoe Gardenas floating around out there for almost a month now. Seller in California printed his shipping label on Nov. 9, USPS picked them upthe next day. A few days later, status showed "Delivered left with individual" -- but in his CA town. He waited a week, went to the post office, and they essentially said "Shit happens." The next day, they called him and said they had found the package, and it was on its merry way. Since then, nada.

So I hope your luck is better, but you might want to cross more than your fingers....

At this point there's much I can do besides cross my fingers

Over the past 10 years, between works and hobbies, I've shipped quite a bit with USPS. This is certainly not the first time something has mysteriously disappeared off their radar. I've yet to every (permanently) lose a package I've sent or expected to receive. Came close one time. The package I sent showed delivered on the USPS website (on schedule too), but the buyer claims he never received it. He assumed it was stolen off his porch, which was plausible I suppose. He went to the local post office, who said they delivered the package and there wasn't anything they could do. It wasn't a particularly expensive item, just under $100 as I recall, and despite my offer to split the loss with him, he declined and just chalked it up to bad luck. Fast forward over 2 months, I get a package at my door. It's the "stolen" package from almost 10 weeks earlier. Apparently he wasn't home when they tried to deliver it, but accidentally marked it as "delivered" instead of "attempted delivery" in their system. So despite the guy going to the post office and asking about it, they just read the info off the screen and didn't bother looking for it. So it sat on the shelf at his PO for 2 months going unclaimed. Eventually they sent it back to me as deliverable. I contacted the guy, who was pleasantly surprised, and 2 months later he got his stuff. I guess my point is that one should never underestimate the ability of USPS to drop the ball but then potentially find the ball months later

 

[David O]

Well I broke down and cleaned them. All chips looked to survive the ultrasonic bath and are now drying. I will let them dry thoroughly and then give them a light oiling. I am taking pictures through the process so stand by for more pRon.

 

[Shaggy]

What cleaning solution did you use in the ultrasonic? lundmark TSP? Cleaning time?

 

[David O]

No savogran tsp from Home Depot and anywhere between 45 seconds to one minute.

 

[David O]

Had to update with some cleaned and oiled chips. Yes I broke down and did it and I am glad I did.

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[DrStrange]

If I see enough of this, I'll get a case of 'no bidder's remorse'.

DrStrange

 

[David O]

Should I bring them to your house sometime? I was jealous when I saw your chips so getting these helped me get over that just a little bit. [emoji1]

 

[DrStrange]

Sure thing! My next $1/$1 game is scheduled for Jan 23rd 2016. That conflicts with suckout in the southwest - I don't want to draw against the meat-up. The next $1/$1 game after that is February 27th, 2016. That set really isn't good for a $0.25/$0.50 game where quarters and ones are the workhorse chip, it is meant for $1/$1 or $1/$2.

The $1/$2 game I co-host is unpredictable, you would rarely have more than 3-4 days notice prior to the game and even then it might not make(or you only get six hours notice like the last game). The $5,000 bank might be a little short depending on how many action players we get, but we could use some other $100 chip to make up the difference if needed.

Of course, then I REALLY would have remorse. On the other hand, better for someone else to get a super set than me add on another set (so I told myself at the time).

DrStrange

 

[liftapint]

No savogran tsp from Home Depot and anywhere between 45 seconds to one minute.

I'm going to clean a few of these this week too. How warm was the water in the ultrasonic cleaner? And did it take much extra scrubbing of the chips, or basically just the ultrasonic bath? Your cleaned/oiled chips look great. They came out beautifully!

 

[David O]

The Ultrasonic cleaner I have I originally purchased for reloading and is an RCBS. It has 4 different temperature settings. I set to 45˚ C/113˚ F. and ran them in there for 45 seconds to 1 minute. I then placed them in room temp water for a minute or so and stirred them around to make sure all of the cleaner was off. The mixture I used was t2 Tbs. of Savogran TSP-PF which is actually phosphate free and was all they had at the store I went to. Mixed with 8 cups of water. With this process and mixture I did Zero Scrubbing.

 

[Shaggy]

Savogran TSP-PF which is actually phosphate free and was all they had at the store I went to.

So is it actually Sodium Metiscillate? That is what the Lundmark stuff is.

 

[David O]

So is it actually Sodium Metiscillate? That is what the Lundmark stuff is.

Yes. I did a little research and they seem to be similar. Worked for me!

 

[Shaggy]

Excellent... That will be my Tuesday evening.