mnebesny
Flush
Do the leaded and non-leaded Paulsons feel different? Is there any way to tell the difference between them? Are there and advantages or disadvantages to either type other than the fact that lead is toxic?
Lead vs. Non-Lead Paulsons (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter mnebesny
- Start date
Yes they do feel different but not in texture, in weight. They sound heavier if that makes any sense, the clank is deeper in a leaded chip. The amount of lead is minute and not toxic unless you plan to consume (alot of) them. Advantages - leaded chips tend to be older, and more often have shaped inlays which makes them more better 
I love my set of PCAs they're leaded shaped inlays and very beautiful chips. Dont really know any disadvantages, except maybe difficult to acquire in quantity depending on the casino. Best way to identify leaded chips is by weighing them compared to non leaded chips.
I love my set of PCAs they're leaded shaped inlays and very beautiful chips. Dont really know any disadvantages, except maybe difficult to acquire in quantity depending on the casino. Best way to identify leaded chips is by weighing them compared to non leaded chips.
RichMahogany
Straight Flush
OP
OP
mnebesny
Flush
I have various chips, and some of them are alot less chalky than others, despite them all having nice crisp edges and not being worn at all. Would that have anything to do with lead content, or is there another reason for that?Yes they do feel different but not in texture, in weight. They sound heavier if that makes any sense, the clank is deeper in a leaded chip. The amount of lead is minute and not toxic unless you plan to consume (alot of) them. Advantages - leaded chips tend to be older, and more often have shaped inlays which makes them more better
No not really chalky just means they're dry, a quick edge oiling will take that right away. Often times mint chips come out chalky since they havent had any hand oils on them. Basically the clay is just lacking moisture content (could be due to old age or air quality) and often times brand new chips are chalky since they havent been handled
RivieraDanny
Royal Flush
I know this thread is older but i'm curious,.... is leaded determined by weight alone??
Largely weight, though to my ears they sound different and feel a little more solid, possibly slightly softer.
RivieraDanny
Royal Flush
So.... What is a weight of leaded vs. unleaded?
Generally. leaded are in the 9.5-11.5g range depending on color, unleaded are in the 8-9.5g range. These Aztars are all leaded, but weights vary greatly by color.
It's tough to quantify because there's such a difference in weights from color to color. But I'd say on average, about a gram per chip.
Another difference I've noticed is that I think unleaded chips tend to color trandsfer (through shuffling) more than leaded chips? But even if this is true, I'm sure it varies, color to color.
Leaded chips feel different to me, the best way I can describe it is “more buttery”. The heavier weight is certainly noticeable, but the texture is what strikes me the most. If weight was the only factor, slugged dice chips would rule the world. I don’t have data to back up this claim, but I believe leaded chips wear less and last longer. They certainly have a softer and more forgiving feel. I’ve seen worn boat chips look like 30 year old leaded casino chips. If there wasn’t a real wear difference, that shouldn’t be possible.
Forgive my ignorance but is the weight difference by color due to density?
Silver_Fiend
Flush
different components added to create the color, which would also change the density. The chips should all be the exact same dimensions.
RivieraDanny
Royal Flush
Probably.
RainmanTrail
Straight Flush
The inlay says 2015 on it, so I'm guessing these weren't made in 1995.
I prefer leaded because they're closer to official casino weight.
Changster
Full House
My favorite are leaded mint IHC chips, like GV secondary 1K’s, Aztar Indiana secondary 1K’s. They are like 15 grams or something and shuffle like bricks. They’re amazing.
RivieraDanny
Royal Flush
That’s my custom inlay. They are originally 1990-1995 River City New Orleans.
Ben8257
Royal Flush
This is my favorite example of Leaded Vs. Not... so I own 2 yellow dimes from 2 casinos under the same name, both the Palace Club. Both the same color, both casino's in Nevada. I am guessing different release dates but other than that basically identical other than one says from Fallon Nevada the other from Reno.
Well many say if it's old its probably leaded... let's check the chip guide before going further here.. ok the Palqce Club at the Fallon location released this yellow Dime in 1965... everything had to have lead back then right? Also the Reno Dimes is show to have been released in the 1960s? Not an exact year but they changed to a black dime in 1967... so probably safe to say these were released about the same time as the Fallon dime. At this point all signs are leading to these being very similar chips!
Have a look and see if you see any other differences? Look the same to me, other than the Fallon stamp is deeper and has an older look to it.
So on the scale it would be safe to assume these would be close correct?
Well there it is, the single heaviest chip I have weighed. I own a few chips in the 12 gram club but this is the heaviest! Absolutely the definition of a Brick chip!!
Well the stamp is deeper and looks like the Fallon chip is older, should be in the same ball park right? I mean same casino. Same chip just different location.
Absolutely wrong! This is one of those nasty cheap plastic feeling non leaded TRKs that look cool in a display cabinet but that's about it.
So really at the end of the day other than weight and feel there is not way to tell the difference.
I have shared this comparison before and sorry to those who many have seen it, I thought it was worth while to share again.
Fellow Chipper Ben
Well many say if it's old its probably leaded... let's check the chip guide before going further here.. ok the Palqce Club at the Fallon location released this yellow Dime in 1965... everything had to have lead back then right? Also the Reno Dimes is show to have been released in the 1960s? Not an exact year but they changed to a black dime in 1967... so probably safe to say these were released about the same time as the Fallon dime. At this point all signs are leading to these being very similar chips!
Have a look and see if you see any other differences? Look the same to me, other than the Fallon stamp is deeper and has an older look to it.
So on the scale it would be safe to assume these would be close correct?
Well there it is, the single heaviest chip I have weighed. I own a few chips in the 12 gram club but this is the heaviest! Absolutely the definition of a Brick chip!!
Well the stamp is deeper and looks like the Fallon chip is older, should be in the same ball park right? I mean same casino. Same chip just different location.
Absolutely wrong! This is one of those nasty cheap plastic feeling non leaded TRKs that look cool in a display cabinet but that's about it.
So really at the end of the day other than weight and feel there is not way to tell the difference.
I have shared this comparison before and sorry to those who many have seen it, I thought it was worth while to share again.
Fellow Chipper Ben
So we need comparison of leaded/non-leaded using the same color of chip, since different colors vary
Weight is one way to tell leaded versus unleaded chips, but I think OP was asking more generally about the differences.
I can tell some differences in the way they feel when I compare two shuffle stacks side by side, but do not know how well I would do in a Leaded Paulson Pepsi Challenge. I think condition is a factor as well, since the two might age or wear differently.
The best way to see is to sample them. I know that is a more difficult and/or expensive proposition than it used to be, but it remains as good advice as ever.
I can tell some differences in the way they feel when I compare two shuffle stacks side by side, but do not know how well I would do in a Leaded Paulson Pepsi Challenge. I think condition is a factor as well, since the two might age or wear differently.
The best way to see is to sample them. I know that is a more difficult and/or expensive proposition than it used to be, but it remains as good advice as ever.
BirdCage
Flush
Muscle weighs more than fat!!! Paulson flexing. Binion's is 3.5 grams heavier than it's sibling Golden Nugget. A difference that you can feel!
There's just something about the feel. I was just playing around with some leaded chips. When I was done, I grabbed a 43mm IHC from the Horseshoe SI, to put in an airtite. I looked at with with desire, because it's a pretty chip. But when I picked it up, without even thinking about it, my hand felt disappointed.
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My clumsy description of it is that unleaded feel more rubbery to me, and seem to be less gritty when shuffling/grinding/riffling a stack of them.
I know the old, leaded Paulsons wear to a point where they really do handle smoothly, as the “buttery” description suggests. I have experienced this with a shuffle stack of the cherry hotstamp solid THC chips.
The only unleaded Paulsons I have used enough to wear in were ‘05 JBs. They, and other Paulson Chips mold (all unleaded) chips, felt chalkier to me than THC in general, but that may or may not be related to lead content.
I know the old, leaded Paulsons wear to a point where they really do handle smoothly, as the “buttery” description suggests. I have experienced this with a shuffle stack of the cherry hotstamp solid THC chips.
The only unleaded Paulsons I have used enough to wear in were ‘05 JBs. They, and other Paulson Chips mold (all unleaded) chips, felt chalkier to me than THC in general, but that may or may not be related to lead content.
codeman00
Flush
I see a durability difference between my leaded vs non-leaded Paulson chips. The old leaded chips don't seem to flake and chip as much as the new ones do. I'm not sure this is gospel but it reflects my limited experience with the one set that I have.
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