... the casino, it would not be an "original" numismatic item (assuming, of course, that chips are covered at all by the HPA! <G>).

>> Do we call this an "original" chip because both slug and
>> inlay are original, or do we call it a FAKE because of a
>> later Illegal (?) assemlage, if such the case?

In my opinion, if a private person obtains the elements of an item that is covered by the HPA and assembled them privately into an item which has all of the appearances of an original (that is, "purports" to be an original), the HPA restriction would apply because it was not "issued" by the original issuer.

Part of the reason Pete's original question got lost in the shuffle, John, is that the question he posed was a very narrow one, which, it seems to me, is likely to occur only under extraordinary circumstances. There are many other varieties of possible fraud in the production and sale of "fake" chips which are more likely to occur, but which are not covered by the HPA at all.

----- jim o\-s