... in the case of our currency, the Treasury Department and the Secret Service might have a different interpretation of those terms than what you've described.

In my own mind; a fake, or a counterfeit CASINO chip is one that has been manufactured to closely resemble an original chip with the intent to defraud the issuing casino ... by either being wagered in a game or tendered for redemption.

My opinion; An altered CASINO chip is a chip that has been tampered with to change a design to make it appear to be something that it was not originally... such as switching center inlays, filling in cancellation holes, or inserting or coloring make-believe edge inserts ... ala DW.

My opinion; A fantasy chip is one that resembles being from a non-existent CASINO ... and sometimes is misleadingly described to collectors by unscrupulous sellers as being from a real casino. Yes, I understand that many of these fantasy chips are used in private home games.

My opinion; A POKER chip is a privately issued chip whose purpose is intended for private home games that does not represent itself as being from a a real casino. **Yes, I realize that some chips from closed casinos are used in home poker games ... but these chips were originally intended to be used in a casino.

My beef with some of the knock-off chips being produced, is that they occassionally wind up being offered in flea markets and yard sales accross the country to unsuspecting, unkowledgeable, would-be buyers as the real thing... How many times have we seen fantasy chips being offered for sale as being from a "casino that never opened ... or a boat that never sailed?"

I vividly recall several years ago, an unscrupulous seller who was misleadingly trying to pass off Casino de Isthmus chips to me as the real thing, swearing that he got them while he was serving in the military during the U.S. invasion of Panama. (I dunno, maybe there was a Paulson retail store in Panama City?)

How many times have we seen swastika chips being misrepresented as being used in some German casino?

Isn't it interesting that NO ONE ... except for Gene's inference..., has stated for the record in this thread that these tournament chips illustrated below are not genuine CASINO chips? Yet I've received three emails from knowledgeable chip collectors who want to buy some for their collections as a result of my post.