Rate this inlay - President Casino New Yorker (PNY) (1 Viewer)

[upNdown]

These polls have been great and it’s really interesting to see all the thoughts from everyone. I’m genuinely surprised by the feedback on the PNY set, though. I always just assumed this was a set beloved by most!

As you see, there are a lot of us who just hate giant inlay RHCs, so I'm trying to figure out why PNYs have been so beloved. I'm always trying to figure out what happened it the chipping world before I was involved, and how it relates to what's happening today.
Back then, I guess there had been some secondary mint sets released by the chiproom (?) But I'm guessing this is the first "casino that never was" chipset available to the public - that must have caused a frenzy among chippers. Primary AND secondary mint chips are always a big deal. But back then, before all the Jacks and all the Horseshoes and all the Terribles, when there weren't as many casino chips available - these must have been instant grails. And especially to New Yorkers - I mean there's 8 million of them and they're all pretty obnoxious about how great their city is. And with the statue of liberty on one of the chips, it's going to have a lot of appeal to Americans in general.
But now, mint casino RHC's are a dime a dozen, so we can all be a little pickier. And as BG pointed out above - there are a lot of flaws with these chips.

 

[upNdown]

As a footnote to above - I remember reading about the origin story of the PNY chips on the blue wall. It's such a GODDAMN TRAGEDY that so much chipping history is lost forever.

 

[pltrgyst]

This is one of my all-time most schizo sets. Love the $1 and $25, hate the rest of the inlays. Without the beautiful Chrysler Building, it ain't NYC to me.

 

[pokerplayingpisces]

As a footnote to above - I remember reading about the origin story of the PNY chips on the blue wall. It's such a GODDAMN TRAGEDY that so much chipping history is lost forever.

Fortunately, @Irish preserved the history on these chips, and saved it here;
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/pny-part-1-president-casino-new-yorker-history.19264/
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/pny-part-2-president-casino-new-yorker-casino-chips.19266/
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/thre...-new-yorker-supplemental-chips-add-ons.19267/

 

[pokerplayingpisces]

And here;

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/thre...-new-yorker-supplemental-chips-add-ons.19267/

 

[Irish]

PNYs are probably one of the most divisive sets out there, and for good reason. The theme is the city, and a city people typically either love or hate. The style is really different from a lot of other casino chips, and one that further emphasizes the theme. Again, something people either love or hate. They're not classy - not even a little - and again, people either really love that or hate it. There's not a lot of middle ground, and that's reflected in the poll pretty well.

However - love them or hate them, I'd argue that the inlays are really well done, especially given the theme of the proposed casino.

• This casino was going to be a tourist attraction. Those in NYC who really play a lot of poker and are looking for big, juicy games - they're playing at an underground card room. Period. They aren't playing here, at least not often. Choosing to have chips with the other top tourist destinations in the city fits right in with that line of thinking. You could argue that instead of the landmark photos, they could have drawn caricatures of each attraction. Back in the 90s when these chips were made, there were probably a million little street vendor stands around Manhattan & the surrounding boroughs with post cards stands of all the various NYC landmarks. If you were a tourist walking NYC, you saw them everywhere. IMHO, creating a set that captured this style was pure genius. My only complaint on the photos is there are a couple of questionable landmark selections (I'm looking at you, snapper Battery Park - and agreed with @pltrgyst WTF no Chrysler Building), but having designed several different personal add-ons, it can be pretty tough finding images of certain landmarks that look good.
• An inlay has 2 main functional purposes. Most importantly, it should tell me how much the chip is worth, and very clearly. The denominations on this set, even though they're mixed in with the photo, are large and the font is really easy to read and distinguish from the photos, even across the table. Second is where the chip is from - slightly less important but again it's got to be clear. They put the card room around the photo behind a solid background - again, it's really easy to read. Yes, in order to do this, they had to go with grand sized inlays, which many clay lovers hate. Still doesn't detract from inlay's purpose though.
• Once you get past the main functions, a good inlay should (IMHO of course) have some "extras" that help tell the casino theme's story in some way. Sometimes it's really subtle and simple, other times it's over the top. Either way, the extras shouldn't obscure the denomination & casino name, or overly complicate the inlay itself. Going with the photos in the background obviously makes the "white space" on these non-existent, but the I feel the photos chosen blend pretty well with the chip colors, and they certainty don't obscure the denomination or casino name. And I think the touristy post card theme jives perfectly with what the casino would have been, had it ever set sail.

Cliff notes - these chips were designed to be big, gaudy and over the top. The style isn't for everyone, and I know some NYers that don't like them. But I still think it's hard to argue the inlays don't work really well for what they appeared to be shooting for. I obviously wasn't there, but that'd be my take on the design - if the original designer was shooting for classy and regal they failed pretty miserably, lol.

 

[RainmanTrail]

Hands down, one of the worst inlays of all time for me. Certainly the worst inlay where any amount of thought went into its design, IMO. I hate full graphics inlays to begin with, but putting photos (of anything really) on an inlay is just...

 

[pltrgyst]

....I'm looking at you, snapper Battery Park....

I dream of the shot they could have gotten, looking over the Battery toward the Statue of Liberty (even though it's technically in Jersey ) ...

 

[Perthmike]

Hands down, one of the worst inlays of all time for me. Certainly the worst inlay where any amount of thought went into its design, IMO. I hate full graphics inlays to begin with, but putting photos (of anything really) on an inlay is just...

I'd normally agree 100% about full graphics on inlays, but these just work.

I understand that they are divisive and I can see why some don't like them, but PNYs are great and I'll fight anyone that argues

 

[RainmanTrail]

I'd normally agree 100% about full graphics on inlays, but these just work.

I understand that they are divisive and I can see why some don't like them, but PNYs are great and I'll fight anyone that argues

OK, OK. I'll look at them again and give it a fair chance then I'll get back to you.

 

[RainmanTrail]

OK, OK. I'll look at them again and give it a fair chance then I'll get back to you.

Yep, they still suck.

 

[BGinGA]

I'd normally agree 100% about full graphics on inlays, but these just work.

I understand that they are divisive and I can see why some don't like them, but PNYs are great and I'll fight anyone that argues

Bring it.

No NYC-based set worth a damn isn't going to have at least one organized crime chip. Total FAIL here.

 

[RocAFella1]

I'd normally agree 100% about full graphics on inlays, but these just work.

I understand that they are divisive and I can see why some don't like them, but PNYs are great and I'll fight anyone that argues

@Mike mac how do you like PNY inlays?

 

[Mike mac]

I feel like I’m drunk at a bar and my friends who are suppose to keep me from making bad decisions keep telling me - “there’s the guy that’s talking shi# about you!” Just because they want to watch me throttle a dude that has no idea who I am. I’m going to sit this one out, prolly only because im not drunk right now lol.
for the record-
chips -garbage
Inlays -oversized garbage
Denominations -size and placement garbage
Graphics -double garbage

the only inlay I hate more are Paulson classics.

*walks away with out spending night in jail

 

[BGinGA]

Best post evah by @Mike mac -- and not in ALL CAPS.

 

[natumes]

Don't like these, can't see much of the chip on the face and the denomination is all over the place

 

[RudysNYC]

Without the beautiful Chrysler Building, it ain't NYC to me.

Of all the non-clay related complaints on here, I can get behind this one the most. The Chrysler Building and the story behind are shining examples of NYC spite and the big brass balls Old New York used to have. ESB gets the glory, but the Chrysler Building showed all the grit.

IMHO, creating a set that captured this style was pure genius.

I think @Irish hits the nail on the head with the old school NY tourism point. I never really thought of it that way, but it's spot on--part of the reason I love PNYs so much is probably that they remind me of the stands I used to pass all the time as a kid in front of the Met and along Central Park. They capture the aesthetic of late 90s and early 2000s NYC advertisements perfectly--if you told me Milton Glaser advised the designers on this project, I might believe you lol.

But I still think it's hard to argue the inlays don't work really well for what they appeared to be shooting for.

Bingo.

I can see why some don't like them, but PNYs are great and I'll fight anyone that argues

It would be an honor to fight alongside you @Perthmike the PNY hill is one I'm more than willing to die on

No NYC-based set worth a damn isn't going to have at least one organized crime chip.

Since I'm positive @BGinGA would take a steaming hot dump on the chips my friends and I currently play with, I'll instead share only my plaques and say "I agree." I know there was a Paulson Presidential set of some sort a while back, I think a set featuring "Upper Management" would be a hit... no pun intended.

 

[BearMetal]

I prefer THC to RHC, but I still like RHCs (Ysabels anyone???). But I detest the over sized inlays for the very reason stated here. I think the most I could give one would be a 2.

Not to derail... But why do casinos order massive amounts of chips if they don't even have permission to open?

 

[RudysNYC]

But why do casinos order massive amounts of chips if they don't even have permission to open?

Presumably for promotional shots/proof of concept, but also because they fully intended to open. Giuliani went out of his way to make President Casinos think they were going to open off Brooklyn, and then he and the Gambling Commission scummed them out of the license. @Irish's history of the place, linked a few comments above this, is a great resource.

 

[BearMetal]

Presumably for promotional shots/proof of concept, but also because they fully intended to open. Giuliani went out of his way to make President Casinos think they were going to open off Brooklyn, and then he and the Gambling Commission scummed them out of the license. @Irish's history of the place, linked a few comments above this, is a great resource.

Thanks! I saw his links and was reading those as you posted this.

 

[Oggy]

If someone has PNY and he doesnt like them...he can send them to me. I will accept it and help for free!

 

[CrazyEddie]

I like 'em. Not enough to ever collect them, but even so... I like 'em.

For a casino chip, they're distinctive; they don't have that typical "casino poker chip" vibe. Different is good.

I don't like photo inlays, but I like these, probably because of the choice of subjects. People and faces are bad, architecture and landmarks is good.

I don't like RHC and I don't like oversized inlays, but with these chips they work. I don't like RHC because the edge molds are weak visually due to the lack of the enclosing circle; I don't like oversized inlays because they encroach on the edge molds. But with these chips, the photo inlay is so strong that the edge molds basically disappear, and therefore so does the problem.

They've got a strong theme that's well-executed, and I think they'd have fit very well with the casino had it ever opened.

 

[ninedeuce]

Native NY'er here.

Fall 1994. 2AM, Cherry Tavern, East Village, NYC. Four college friends hanging out, night winding down. Where should we go? AC!

We pile in the car, radio blasting. I've never been, never played blackjack, friends giving me a crash course in the car.

Get to the Taj. Sit down at the $1 table. Not sure of what I'm doing, but I keep winning. Piling up red $5 chips, oversize inlays with Trump's mug, slightly soft/sticky, love the feel in my hand. End the night up $150, possibly the worst outcome lol.

So...

For me, oversize inlays capture the garish, tacky, casino-ness of places like AC and Vegas. You can't get them custom made (at least from CPC). And while in theory they shouldn't stack as well (less clay-to-clay contact), in practice, at least in the home games I've used them in, they stack fine.

Re PNYs specifically, the labels, while not tasteful or classic, succeed as functional. Not only are the denoms very legible, they are also reinforced by the distinct landmarks on each chip. And, the back story of the chips and how they came to market makes them special, especially for NYers. Not to mention, back when the chips first became available on ChipTalk, I'd never seen mint Paulsons from an actual casino be available in such quantities before. It felt like a gift from the chipping gods.

 

[RudysNYC]

Get to the Taj. Sit down at the $1 table.

I know I'm young but good Lord $1 blackjack at a casino? Color me erect. Since I've started gambling lowest I've ever found was $5 at sh!thole Bally's Wild West (with 6:5 payout )

 

[Highli99]

They could be worse. Like if they chose Baltimore landmarks instead. So they have that going for them.

the colors on this chips are awesome but the inlay is not my favorite.

 

[Oggy]

I LOVE them. Should I argue about this?
No. No need! Just Pure Love

 

[ninedeuce]

I know I'm young but good Lord $1 blackjack at a casino? Color me erect. Since I've started gambling lowest I've ever found was $5 at sh!thole Bally's Wild West (with 6:5 payout )

Yep. Last I encountered $1 blackjack in Vegas was in the late 90s (Westward Ho!). Last time I played $1 blackjack was in 2001, at some Native American casino in Oregon, where I had the distinction of being asked to leave because they believed I was card counting lol.

 

[JustDogbert]

Gave ‘em a deuce. Oversized inlay, hard pass (can’t see the chips). The pics / theme indifferent (not a NYC fan). The fact that they went to the effort of having different pics on each chip got them the 2nd star.

 

[RudysNYC]

not a NYC fan

Ah yes nothing better than *checks notes* Poughkeepsie

 

[JustDogbert]

Ah yes nothing better than *checks notes* Poughkeepsie

Ahh, yes beautiful Poughkeepsie, even on it's worse day, still smells less like urine than anywhere in NYC.