THC POKER FIND! (81 Viewers)

[bananamankevin]

I was planning on saving money and just going for a mid-range ceramic set... but I started getting jealous of all the THC people on this website and thought I'd check out some local classifieds. There was a hidden classified on an obscure website that had been posted for 28 days and was still available. I had to drive 4 hrs to get there (and 4 hours back), and I was slightly afraid this seller would ghost me... but it was well worth it! I showed up and he sold me ~800 THC for $50!!! I plan to use these for my home games and have no intentions of reselling for now.

Pictures are attached and I’ve got more detail below, but my main questions are:

1. How can I make the $5 red chips more red/visible? While the edges of the chips are vibrant, the black label in the center is wider than the recessed middle so milling won’t completely fix it. It seems easy to confuse a red chip for a black $100 chip.
2. Does anyone have any additional history or information about my chips/how I should describe them to be in line with poker chip lingo?
3. Should I leave these chips as is, mill them and label them, or just overlabel them on top without milling?

The $1 chips appear to be THC Casinio de Mexico chips. Fairly common if I understand correctly. Apparently manufactured around 1990.

The $5 chips are THC River City New Orleans, Grand Palais (ship name?) chips. The starburst pattern means these are “cancelled” right? From what ChatGPT says, these are likely from 1995 from a failed dual riverboat casino operation on the Mississippi River. I dislike the very large black label that makes milling the chip unlikely to help as much as I want, and confuses these chips with $100 black chips.

The $25 chips are THC River City New Orleans, Crescent City (ship name?) chips. Same story as my other chips, just cancelled failed chips from the riverboat casino operation on the Mississippi. I LOVE the color of these green chips.

The $100 chips are THC River City New Orleans, Grand Palais (ship name?) chips. Seems to be from the same Mississippi River situation as above.

Please correct my terminology and tell me how I should refer to these chips properly in the chip enthusiast world. If you happen to know any additional history or facts about these chips, please share so I can tell my friends and family about the details.

Anyway, I'm beyond the moon for this awesome deal and my first THC chip set. I'm going to use them in my home game this weekend. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Unfortunately, this might be the start of a new addiction and I definitely seeing myself paying premium prices for more THC chips down the road (unless I get lucky with an obscure classified ad again).

 

[BKisback]

Amazing score. You'll be fine with those, the 5s are discernible from the 100s. Lots of threads about removing the gold foil stamps can be found on the site.

 

[CacheCreekCollector]

The cancellation stamps can somewhat easily be removed with some Q-tips/cotton balls + Non-acetone nail polish remover & elbow grease. Be sure to lay the chips out flat to dry after the cleaning process before you put the chips in play.

The $5s are RHC (reverse hat & cane) w/ Giant inlay and the $25s are also RHC, not THC btw.

Super jealous of ya but a serious congratulations is in order @bananamankevin for finding this treasure trove. You literally paid pennies on the dollar for these chippies.

 

[toyyoda]

Nice Score!

 

[dizzyChipper]

Absolute score. This is the kind of post @BarrieJ3 loads up PCF for.

 

[bananamankevin]

The cancellation stamps can somewhat easily be removed with some Q-tips/cotton balls + Non-acetone nail polish remover & elbow grease. Be sure to lay the chips out flat to dry after the cleaning process before you put the chips in play.

The $5s are RHC (reverse hat & cane) w/ Giant inlay and the $25s are also RHC, not THC btw.

Super jealous of ya but a serious congratulations is in order @bananamankevin for finding this treasure trove. You literally paid pennies on the dollar for these chippies.

Thanks for the non-acetone tip! I'll give it a shot!

And I also really appreciate the terminology tip. I should have caught RHC, since I'd heard of that one! But "Giant Inlay" is a new term for me. Thanks!

I'll see if I can edit my original post!

EDIT: Looks like I can't edit my original post haha. My OCD will have to suffer the incorrect terminology!

 

[bigblind]

Nice score

 

[JeepologyOffroad]

Only the 1s are THC. Rest are RHC.

Nice grab.

 

[CardRally]

Nice find!

You should be able to edit your post by using this dropdown menu at the bottom of the OP.

Typically people will not confuse a $5 and a $100. You usually know when the big guns are coming out. Plus the outside is completely different. If it were me that wouldn’t bother me.

 

[Tonysquander]

Great find, Here is some additional information and what is under the cancellation stamp:

https://chipguide.themogh.org/cg_chip2.php?id=LANOCC&v=2831984656

https://chipguide.themogh.org/cg_chip2.php?id=LANOGP&v=1789956784

 

[Tonysquander]

Also, would highly recommend you use the method and materials described in this thread to remove the stamps:

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/removing-the-cancellation-stamp-on-an-inlay-gc-hinkley.64836/

Will be a lot faster and you won't have to worry about damaging them with nail polish remover. I have tried both and the NPR is very tedious and slow, the degreaser works great and had zero impact on chip colors that I could see. But, definitely do a test chip first...lol.

 

[bananamankevin]

Nice find!

You should be able to edit your post by using this dropdown menu at the bottom of the OP.
View attachment 1694650

Typically people will not confuse a $5 and a $100. You usually know when the big guns are coming out. Plus the outside is completely different. If it were me that wouldn’t bother me.

Mine doesn't look like that . Maybe because I'm a new forum user and don't have all the privileges yet.

Fair point on the $100s... people will pay close attention in a big pot

 

[FreeBop59]

Awesome score!

You also scored in that you have a very playable breakdown of $1s, $5s, $25s, and $100 for a $1/$1 or $1/$2 NL cash game
(sometimes a score involves odd amounts of denominations and further work to get a playable set)

 

[Jp74]

I sent you a pm about it but I would skip the degreaser and go straight 70% alcohol for removing stamps same thread as above but skip to the end. Great find!
Also don’t mill anything…..the rabbit hole is extremely expensive after that. Give it at least 2-3 months and see how you feel about the set.

 

[Mushmanchuman]

Congratulations on the set! Don’t you feel like you owed the seller more. Maybe not money but I’d be like “Can I help you out with anything while I’m here? Cut your grass…?”

Can you fill a brother in on this obscure website? Was it CL? I haven’t checked there for years.

Awesome score.

 

[bananamankevin]

Congratulations on the set! Don’t you feel like you owed the seller more. Maybe not money but I’d be like “Can I help you out with anything while I’m here? Cut your grass…?”

Can you fill a brother in on this obscure website? Was it CL? I haven’t checked there for years.

Awesome score.

I don't think I fully comprehended the value of what I got until I've actually started looking into prices today! I do want to do something nice for the guy and I have his address from picking up the chips. He struck me as an very well to do early retiree (massive ranch estate, he is very active taking care of animals, money probably doesn't matter as much to him, and he wasn't physically inept or in need of lawn assistance), but at minimum I plan on taking some pictures of poker night, and maybe having the group sign a thank you card and giving him a heartfelt letter/pictures of us playing. Me and my poker group are going to get some great use out of these chips! Hopefully he gets some satisfaction knowing that his chips are getting good use with the younger generation or something haha.

 

[EmptyPocs]

wow, that is an awesome start!
well worth that drive
congrats

 

[foreverdev]

Nice one!

 

[Bacon Dad]

Outstanding find!!!
I would be afraid a deal that “good” would curse me at the tables.