Earlier today Michael Siskin posted a question regarding issue order of the Colorado Belle $1, Bud Jones CIC checks. For those who are familiar with TCR, there are four different versions of this check listed. Two are distinguished by "wide" and "thin" blue circles and the other two are distinguished by the alignment of the words "Colorado Belle" in relationship to the four sets of inserts.

Imaged here are examples of the two versions based on casino name alignment to the inserts.

I believe that the chip on the left was the first issue chip. I believe that to be the case because one of the error chips I have (it has no red inserts) was plucked from a poker table on Opening Day by a poker dealer. That chip has the alignment of the one on the left. I also have brand new, super shiny CIC, very sharp edges chips that I got last year from the cage. They have the alignment of the chip on the right. They also have no patina or black in-fill.

Michael had also noticed and asked about the differnt appearances of the CIC's. Some have a patina, some are shiny, some are dull, etc. Here are two links that will take you to two high quality scans. The first scan is of five different 1st issue chips. I have scanned both sides to show that the CICs on both sides are the same. I did not have a great selection to choose from for this scan. This is the link: http://www.thechipgallery.com/ebay/pics/firstissuesplit.jpg (it is a big files).

On the other hand, I had about 100 different current version chips to make a selection for the next scan. It is similar to the 1st issue scan (front and backs are shown) but I selected five chips that have a different appearance of the CICs. Again, this is a large file: http://www.thechipgallery.com/ebay/pics/nextissuesplit.jpg

With respect to the TCR listing regarding "wide" and "thin" blue circles, I find no consistency in finding those variations, and I suspect that the "wide" and "thin" can be axplained as follows...

The manufacturing process of these Bud Jones checks is such that the plastic outer rings are first molded and then the CICs are inserted into the hole in the middle. However. the hole in the middle is slightly larger on one side than it is on the other. To assemble the check two CICs are placed back-to-back, placed into the hole from the side that has the larger opening. Then, a seperate blue plastic ring is inserted as a retainer and it is either glued or heat affixed in-place. On some chips the blue ring functioning as a retainer can be thinner than the blue ring on the opposite side that. I suspect that "wide" and "thin" is more a function of one side versus the other than both sides versus both sides of two different chips.

Now, I told Michael that I would examine with greater detail the "wide" vs. "thin" difference and in doing so I have come across this CIC difference. Using the above scan of both chip versions, I did a Photoshop overlay comparison of the two CICs. In doing so I pasted the CIC of the newer chip (the one on the right) over the top of the CIC from the older chip (the one on the left). In order to see through the top image (the newer chip) I made it translucent (i.e., I made it see-through by 'gahosting' the image). This allowed me to align one on top of the other. I then stripped away (completely) certain sections of the newer chip so that the older chip could be clearly seen. The red arrows show the stripped out areas. At those places you are viewing the older chip. All the other areas show both the older chip through the ghostly image of the newer chip. I have also included some detail scans. Note especially the widths of the numeral "1". The newer chip appears to be wider.

Well, thats my story and I'm sticking to it.

I hope this helps.

Jim