Real Casino Chips Vs Fakes
Signs of a Real Casino Chip
Though we probably all thing casino chips are the same, thy actually vary from casino to casino. Likewise, there’s an idea that all chips have the same weight, 11.5 grams, but this also is a myth. In reality, casino chips vary in weight from between 8.5 to 10.6 grams. Casino chips are made of clay or ceramic.
Every casino chip will carry a mark to show from where it came. You should think of them in terms of a currency, with their on markings, just like the notes and bills we use in our daily lives. On the whole, casinos don’t like cashing in “foreign chips” ie those from another casino brand. A chip without a logo is an instant flag as being a fake.
The Chips Colors
Years ago, different casino chips from different casinos had different colors. These would show visually their casino of origin. But over time, the color of chips has become more and more standardized. On the whole, white or blue chips signify $1 and red chips are $5 and are known as “nickles”. Green is the color of $25 chips and is known as “quarters”. Then we have black chips which have a face value of $100. Purple chips are worth $500 and are often called “Barneys”. And finally, we have orange chips with a value of $1,000 and known as “pumpkins”.
Even though we can say that the colors are generally standard, they all come in their own shades of those colors. So, with one casino green is green, with another casino, it’ll be green, but a different shade. This makes the chips harder to copy. The color also serves another use. They are often placed on the gaming table to denote the table betting limits. For example a red chip would indicate a betting minimum of $5. A green would show a $25 minimum bet.
How Casinos Stop Counterfeit Chips
There are a number of factors at play that make the effort of counterfeiting casino chips more hard work than it’s worth. For a start each chip is an exact weight. They have their own distinct markings and designs. Then there’s the fact that they bare marking with invisible ink that only shows under UV light. High-value chips have an embedded RFID tag so that they can be tracked by the casino. Because these higher value chips are always accounted for it means that your counterfeiting options are really only open using chips of smaller denominations. These are more readily available.
Casino chips are not just a form of gaming currency. They serve another purpose within the casino. From the moment you buy in at the cage, the casino is able to track the chips you just bought. This allows the casino to take a deep dive into how the chips move around the casino gaming floor. The casino can see where there was a more significant action. And so they can then adjust playing patterns to suit those tables. The casino also uses the chips as a means of keeping track of the staff, in particular the dealers and croupiers.
If you’re thinking of somehow trying to sneak a fake chip into the pile, then the first thing you need to be aware of, is that the casino has bonkers security. There are cameras everywhere. Their surveillance is total and there’s little chance you’ll get away with it. Remember that they are tracking every chip you have bought. The moment you introduce one that not of the rosta, expect a hand on the shoulder. It’s not as in the movie “Casino” where the cheater gets his hands smashed with a hammer….but we wouldn’t recommend trying to be a wise guy. Keep in mind that they have already seen every trick in the book.
Found Chips Belong to the Casino
Now if you cockily walk into a casino with a bag of chips from another joint, you’ll set off an instant red flag. So let’s be cool and not go there. Another interesting point is what happens if you find a casino chip, on the floor for example. Can you add it to your bankroll and start playing with it? Not so fast, Buster. That chip that you found under your shoe technically belongs to the casino. Picking it up with the idea of spending it is actually tantamount to theft. Having said that, it’s going to be pretty hard to prove where it came from. Especially if you keep your mouth shut. We suggest that instead of heading over to the cage in order to cash it in, you go to a table and use it for its proper purpose. Remember that the dealer has to known idea source of your chips.
Don’t be a Creep
You might find yourself in a casino with a more relaxed attitude towards found chips. Though please don’t be that guy who’s prowling around the casino. With his eyes fixed to the floor looking for that dropped chip. Believe us when we say that you’ll be asked to leave. Such behavior is a total low-life stuff. If you happen to find a casino chip down the back of the sofa when you’re searching for milk money, then don’t be afraid to return it to the casino. They will have a record of your previous gameplay there. And may well allow you to cash it out there and then. One thing to keep in mind is that trying to steal chips from the casino as you’re playing in order to take them to another casino so you can play at being a “high roller” never works. Before you can play a single hand, you’ll be in police custody.
Collectible Casino Chips
Funnily enough, if you happen to come across an older chip, especially from a now defunct casino, then you’re probably going to be able to sell it for a nice wad of cash. There are many collectors of old chips who’ll be happy to take it off your hands. They pay big money for a piece of genuine casino history. Oh…and before you even think it, don’t go trying to pass your sad fake stuff off to these guys. They really know their stuff and it’ll just be a huge embarrassment for you.
Caught in the Act
The funny thing is that even in this day and age of almost total surveillance, there are still folks who regularly try and pass off their fake chips as real. It’s actually a felony charge. This is on the same level as burglary and theft. In fact each charge can carry a prison term of six years. So you don’t want to go down that road. A few years ago, a certain Mr. Leonard Martin Stone decided to cash out his fake stash at the casino. Yes, he was immediately reprimanded. The funny part was that after the cashier called security, they emptied his bag. He was actually carrying the materials to make the fake chips with him in the casino. This included scissors, acrylic paints, glue along with a sheet of casino chip inserts. He admitted to trying to pass off as real his fake $125 value chips.
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