...THIS is a defaced chip!!! (I just happen to like deface <g>.)

On a serious note, I seem to recall that Fiesta did number some of this year's CC>CC convention chips. The numbers were engraved by Chipco, but still there are numbered and un-numbered chips. (I don't have a numbered chip. I want a numbered chip.) The casino controls the chip process. If the casino numbers some chips, and specifies how many chips are numbered, and lives by that "promise," then those chips have the value we would apply to any numbered chips. Because Casino Niagra numbered the chips with a gold pen rather than having Paulson put the numbers on is somewhat irrelevant. The issue is, they have made a promise to the collector that there will only ever be 500 numbered chips, with only ever one of each number. As long as they honor that promise, those chips have whatever value we as collectors place on such numbered chips.

The real problem with the gold pen approach, which Casino Niagra may not have considered, is the ease of forgery. Which is probably what I have here...