Hi Pete,
I know a little about Bill Borland but not enough to do justice to his story. I have only been in this hobby a couple of years and what I learned is bits and pieces.

Jerry Wall bought most if not all of the Bill Borland inventory, dies etc. If there is one person with first hand knowledge I would say it is Jerry. Poor Jerry, due to his own fault will not have a table at the convention.

Jerry once told me that the majority of "fakes" (95%) were in the dice and cards mold - with the remaining (5%) affecting the Nevada mold. The most important point of this whole subject is NOT FOR COLLECTORS TO OVERREACT to the situtation.

What I have just stated is very important. Most knowledgeable colletors can spot a "Borland" chip after examination. In general, the chip lacks the shiny look (what I call the C&J look) of the dice and cards. Borland could not get the proper compression for the clay. He did have some excellent blanks so be sure to look for what I am going to tell you. The hot stamp is not finished with splash marks going past the hot stamp and on to the field of the chip. The hot stamp is perfect on both sides of the chip. In other words - looking at the chip with the hot stamp straight up and than turning it over the hot stamp will be in "perfect" position to itself. In the same place on the other side of the chip - not rotated at all. Borland could not make inlays just hot stamped chips. Finally, there is no wear on the chip. It looks brand new!

There are other collectors who know much more than I do. However, if you follow what I just have written you should have learned enough to keep yourself out of trouble.<VBG>

Don't pass a dice & cards mold or a Nevada mold for fear of buying a Borland chip. You will miss out on a lot of good chips. Best, Jim