"But you're ignoring everything else, just because they have fantasy inserts does that preclude them from being a sample run for a casino? Why would they insert the security measures if they're just looking for approval on artwork etc. Again, I'm a neophyte chip history wise and asking but I know we have done "spec" work for prospective clients in more than one business I've owned."

Approval on the finished product wouldn't be different from the samples, at least not for gaming chips, and they sure as hell wouldn't need 16000 of them. 16 would be plenty, or perhaps you've found a company that would have an entire production run of 16000 of anything made that they couldn't use as a sample run. You're clutching at straws.

"Matt also said that when he asked Gene about these chips a couple of years ago, he had roughly the SAME THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THEM AS I DID."
This BB system has archives accessible to everyone. Prove it!

"The guys at paulson said they might have been for a casino or for a gift. They also said they were never in a paulson store, while some other guy claimed they were on the thread, should I call his claim BS?"

Out of the blue they made 16000 chips to give to some unnamed casino as a gift, but they can't say who, or even if. I'd be inclined to believe a person who has said the chips were for sale in the store as a direct statement of personal experience before I'd trust a second hand claim to a phone conversation.

"The larger point is I was conveying what I thought to be true, and still do as does Matt."

Then there is nothing more for me to say about your beliefs, other than you are too hard headed to admit when you are proved wrong by people who know.

"If you're into playing at home and want a status symbol set of classic paulson top hat and cane that very few other human beings on the planet have a set of then my chip is very valuable Can you at least agree on that last statement?"

In a word, no. A status symbol set of home chips would be chips that I had custom made for me, not a set that anyone else has. Just my opinion.