Yes live chips.
The only place you could get them was from the cage.
When CMG licensed The Babe's name and image to the LVC for chips it had a one year term on it.
LVC sort of ignored that clause.
It must have been 5 years later when CMG made an inquirey about the chips.

LVC quickly pulled them and issued a recall.

I tried to get several CMG rights for several different chips at the FQ's including Laurel and Hardy before the LVC got the Babe. I backed off because of the one year term. That was in 1995 or so.

I am working with CMG now on the Betty Page chips as she was a PB Bunny, but without the term limit.