Help with decision - Caribe Hilton ceramic (2 Viewers)

[dazoki]

Thanks in advance.

Read through an army of threads but couldn’t answer my question. From what i gather…

There is the original Caribe Hilton, the PCF pre-tina Caribe (no PR text), current tina Caribe (w/ PR text).

Has anyone held all 3 that can provide some guidance, differences? and how best to empty my wallet? I am mainly interested in color - some of the photos show them pop - others have a white wash look.

43mm Tina textured no mold samples are on a USPS truck coming to me, i also have BRpro ceramics to compare, never held a ChipCo. If anyone has samples or thinking about letting a .25/.50 cash set go - lemme know. Have not slept since the last ad sale.

 

[dizzyChipper]

Here is what I know (or at least what I think I know). [Edit: 10/27/25]

OG Chipco caribe or worn and in general notched in higher denom. I don’t know if anybody has a playable set.

@Bill_Man618 said: They were made by a company called Mandy Chips that seems to no longer be operating. I am not certain where the group buy for these was, but I believe it was from a French poker chip forum.

It isn't BrPro, Chipco or Tina. They are not Chipco blanks. Id like make a PCF motion, for the sake of convenience, to forever call this unknown Chinese manufacturer “Gina” until someone here or elsewhere provides better info.

"Puerto Rico":

• ~1990 OG Chipco had PUERTO RICO on all chips but the 5.
• ~2020 Mandy chips have no PUERTO RICO anywhere.
• 2025+ Tinas have PUERTO RICO on all chips but 5 and 5000.

Denoms:

• ~1990 OG Chipco order had: $1, 5, both 25, both 100, 500, 1000
• ~2020 Mandy chips added 25c (@rjdev7) and 5000
• 2025+ Tinas have no new
• Some have worked on a T25k chip or plaque but nothing has been created.

Spoiler: 1990 Order from Chipco

Update from @dazoki rabbit hole he posted below in this thread.

From: http://www.thechipboard.com/archive...id/1615389/sbj/update-on-caribe-hilton-chips/

Sizes:

• ~1990 OG Chipco order had: 44mm 1000, all others 39mm.
• ~2020 Mandy chips had 43mm 1000, 5000. All others 39mm.
• 2025+ Tinas can be ordered 39mm or 43mm in any denom.

Spoiler: Comparisons OG vs Mandy

From @Solid Snake here.

Spoiler: Lineups

The Mandy Tribute lineup. Pic is all over but this is from @rjdev7 2020 sales thread with the best Mandy pics.

[Some missing pieces added. Feel free to DM me or post below and I'll integrate more.]
I’d love for someone to add in some missing pieces as I, like you, did a deep dive and couldn’t find all of the answers I sought.

Spoiler: Other Non Hilton Tributes are out there too.

From https://pokerchiplounge.com/products/ceramic-custom-poker-chips

—Diz

 

[dazoki]

You da man Diz - i appreciate your response ….even though you picked up the set while i was refreshing the page waiting for the price

 

[dazoki]

Did some spelunking on the internet and found this post. Copying here for those that search the forum in the future.

http://www.thechipboard.com/archive...id/1615368/sbj/update-on-caribe-hilton-chips/

 

[Bill_Man618]

lol. I feel your pain.

Here is what I know (or at least what I think I know).

OG Chipco caribe or worn and in general notched in higher denom. I don’t know if anybody has a playable set. No T5k and no 25c existed.

I have MTT set on the way of the no “PR” tribute chip. I can’t get clarity on who the manufacturer was or when it happened. I know it’s from a GB off of PCF. I know it happened in 2020 or prior. I know it’s an unknown Chinese manufacturer and not BrPro, Chipco or Tina. I know they are not Chipco blanks. Id like make a PCF motion, for the sake of convenience, to forever call this unknown Chinese manufacturer “Gina” until someone here or elsewhere provides better info.

The recent Tina Caribe tributes have PR again. I have 39mm T500, 43mm T1000 and T5000 on way and will have both chips in hand. I was buying them as a top end to use with one or both of two other ceramic sets I have. Both of those sets have either no 500 or above or the 500 and above is non standard colors and tilts me.

Some have worked on a T25k chip or plaque but they don’t exist.

Most of this info has been gleaned from people here but I haven’t tagged them because I feel like I’ve harassed them enough in the past few days, weeks and months.

I’d love for someone to add in some missing pieces as I, like you, did a deep dive and couldn’t find all of the answers I sought.

—Diz

@dazoki
So I also own a cash and tournament set of these (non Puerto Rico version) and you’re correct that they’re not Tina’s or the originals. They were made by a company called Mandy Chips that seems to no longer be operating. I am not certain where the group buy for these was, but I belive it was from a French poker chip forum.

As far as the a Tina’s go from the pictures I’ve seen the colors appear to be a bit more muted and the edges look a bit sharper. I don’t have both on hand to do a direct comparison though so I am just going off of pictures.

The original ones are going to look the most worn since they actually saw significant play at the casino.

My personal opinion would be to wait for the non Tina chips since they look like they’re from a better quality blank and are most similar to chipcos which have long been the gold standard of ceramics. To me they’re damn near indiscernible from a real modern chipco. I’ve never been overwhelmingly impressed with Tina’s whereas the Mandy Chips version has impressed me a lot. All my players love them too and request them over any of my other sets.

If you have any questions let me know and I’ll do my best to answer. Here’s so pictures to compare with the Tina pictures I’m sure you’ve seen.

 

[Bill_Man618]

Here are some Tina ones I found pictures of. I feel like they have more washed out colors that don’t pop as well. You can see it pretty well with the $1K’s.

 

[Bill_Man618]

For your reference here is the exact set I bought so you can compare it to pictures of the Tina’s as they come out.

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/caribe-hilton-cash-and-tourney-1400pcs-table-topper.95698/

 

[dizzyChipper]

Here are some Tina ones I found pictures of. I feel like they have more washed out colors that don’t pop as well. You can see it pretty well with the $1K’s.
View attachment 1582227

I’ll have 3 denoms of Tina Caribe and Mandy Caribe in hand when my August GB order shows up. Shouldn’t be long now. Will post sufficient Tina and Mandy closeup pr0n (I apologize that this metaphor wrote itself) when all chips are in hand.

 

[ekricket]

They were made by a company called Mandy Chips

I believe Mandy and Tina are sisters and they have a half brother too.

 

[dizzyChipper]

I believe Mandy and Tina are sisters and they have a half brother too.

Step* Brother. Fixed it for you.

 

[Bill_Man618]

I believe Mandy and Tina are sisters and they have a half brother too.

Is his name Tandy?

 

[ekricket]

Is his name Tandy?

Tandy used to make electronics for radio shack. But he got old, and out of touch with technology. So he retired.

 

[dazoki]

..also found . Copy/pasta here to centralize

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/caribe-hilton-tribute-set-1800-chips.109042/#post-2253335

 

[dizzyChipper]

Bumpdate to second post. Story taking shape.

 

[dazoki]

Feeling impatient with pending justin GB deadline and my continuing disregard for the wallet - i realized that the lack of color “pop” on tinas compared to the mandy set is the graphics themselves. If any of you design gurus feel like updating the caribe graphics in the tina library - that would be awesome.

Fun doing research here - i want a textured no mold ceramic cash set but feel it’s a waste to pick one with a label that is better served on a hybrid….so maybe the EPT or i seen some palms that look interesting but i have not seen cash denoms versions of it. Thanks to all for providing context

 

[dizzyChipper]

Feeling impatient with pending justin GB deadline and my continuing disregard for the wallet - i realized that the lack of color “pop” on tinas compared to the mandy set is the graphics themselves. If any of you design gurus feel like updating the caribe graphics in the tina library - that would be awesome.

Fun doing research here - i want a textured no mold ceramic cash set but feel it’s a waste to pick one with a label that is better served on a hybrid….so maybe the EPT or i seen some palms that look interesting but i have not seen cash denoms versions of it. Thanks to all for providing context

I always thought it was a printing / ink thing and not a file issue with Tina.

 

[shamacus]

I’ll have 3 denoms of Tina Caribe and Mandy Caribe in hand when my August GB order shows up. Shouldn’t be long now. Will post sufficient Tina and Mandy closeup pr0n (I apologize that this metaphor wrote itself) when all chips are in hand.

Did you ever get a comparison shot of these please? Thinking of ordering some Tinas

 

[Bill_Man618]

I’ve seen the comparison and the Tina’s are pretty good but you can notice a difference if you see them side by side

 

[Rock31]

Did you ever get a comparison shot of these please? Thinking of ordering some Tinas

Let me know if you order Tina’s, we could split the label fee during one of the group buys.

Disregard, no label fee on these.

 

[dizzyChipper]

See above and attached.

Tina bottom and left. Tina colors are less saturated and there’s less contrast between objects and ground. The deep purple with a fade on the $500 is flattened. Quite a difference on the green frog and blue water. Tina looks a bit more washed out? I’m not sure what the correct term is.

On the attached you can see the difference in the textures.

This isn’t a crap on Tina post. Chips are cheap & graphics are cool.

—Diz

 

[shamacus]

Thanks a lot for posting that. Tinas it is.

 

[Bill_Man618]

One cool thing about the Tina’s is that it has “Puero Rico” printed on them which makes them a better replica of the real ones. The non Tina ones have that removed I think either because the didn’t want to make them perfect replicas so they couldn’t be resold as singles to scam people or for copyright reasons. Happy to be wrong on that though. Their my favorite chips I own to be honest and they’ve been the most popular with people I played with by a mile. I’ve had them personally requested and they’re durable so that’s a huge plus too. You’re gonna love them @shamacus

 

[TheGBKid]

Let me know if you order Tina’s, we could split the label fee during one of the group buys.

Disregard, no label fee on these.

Also interested as these would be a cool summertime set. Would want 1s, 5s, 25s and 100s (small cash game set)