Breich,
I would use retro blue or purple for the spot color on the Army 5k chip. It looks friggin sweet on the imperial blue base. Similar to the $1 in the Crystal Park Casino set

http://www.themogh.org/cg_chip2.php?id=CACRCP

After at least a month and a half of designing with J5, here's the near-final inlays:

5c - Portillos (and/or Bulls, at least my Aunt thought so)
25c - Bears (and/or University of Illinois, Dad pointed that out)
$1 - Cubs
$5 - Blackhawks
$25 - St. Patrick's Day (Bulls, Cubs, Sox, and Hawks all have St. Patty's day uniforms that look spot-on to this chip)
$100 - White Sox (in honor of my father and his side of the family, who are Sox fans... plus it looks good =/ )

Front



Back



Alternate for Back


Plan is to order the chips in February. How many chips we order depends on how much we save up... somewhere between 500-1k chips though for sure.

Chicago guy here, I dig the colors and the idea. Really dig the Hawks chip. I am with those who say the spots should be the same # to line up. It feels hokey a little with the different numbered spots to me.

As a designer myself, I say the skyline version reads much better and is more pleasing to the eye.

And you are wise to make the $100 chip the Sox. Why put a 100+ year loser on the big chip (Yeah, Sox fan.)

I love the set. My only criticism has to do with the edge spots. Unlike the previous poster, I love different edge spots on the different denom chips. This is how all real casino chips are. However I would suggest an increased complexity edge spot as the denomination increases. Your $100 chip has a rather simple edge spot for my taste. Maybe switch the edge spot style on the $1 and the $100. Still love em though. Great inlay with the color matching the chip. A+

I like the set. Not entirely to my tastes through and through but, then again, it is not "my" set. My only quibble is that I would go with the skyline shot on both sides of the chip. Just my taste, though.

Awesome set, sir. You've put a ton of work and thought into this, and it shows.

go cubs go!

Awesome, Have them made as is. Dont change a thing!

digging your final mock ups! I prefer the alternate back for your chips. I think it looks classier and it matches the font on the skyline inlay

Do you have samples of the .25 and $1 chips? Those two blues in dim light, do they contrast enough?

Aside from that concern, it a nice set. Well thought out. I like the different inlays front and back.

In a word, awesome.

Can't wait to see racks of them...

We ordered samples over the summer and the two blue chips are distinct. The bears' sears tower is orange to also mitigate a potential clash.

I can't either. Thanks for the good words, everyone!

I nominate J5 for a lifetime achievement award, and these inlays clearly go in the portfolio we submit to the jury.

Update:

Art is all paid for and the chips will be ordered within a month. We're looking at buying around 500 chips, 600 at the most. Best chip breakdown?

Currently, my home games are either .25/.50 or .50/1 for limit and .25/.25 for NL. Buy-ins are usually $20. However, once I graduate, commission, and live on my own, I'd like to try to expand the game.

Possible breakdowns:

500 Chips:

5c x60
25c x200
$1 x140
$5 x60
$25 x20
$100 x20

Bank = $3493

600 Chips:

5c x60
25c x200
$1 x200
$5 x100
$25 x20
$100 x20

Bank = $3753

I know getting 100 nickels would make the racks even but I have 100 nickels for my pharoah's set and I find them cumbersome and relatively unused. I'd rather maximize the big chips for the smaller order now (original plan was to order 1k chips) and then get some more nickels once we order more chips beyond the initial.

Thoughts?

First of all went back and re-looked at the mock ups again. The 5 and 25 chips are sweet with my favorite being the 25. Would love to have a couple of those in play as they are gonna be sexy!

As far as breakdowns go if your limited to 500/600 chips and you really won't need the nickles, then it might be best to just skip ordering them for now and get them when you do an add on so you have more of the workhorse chips that you are going to need.

Actually had another thought in the middle of writing this that maybe you haven't considered. Could you make the nickels ND chips and then that gives you the flexibility to use them for something else that you would want/need in the future? IE you could use them as $0.50 chips if you want to run a $1/$2 or hell make them $500's if you ever need. Completely random thought, but maybe it will help you.

Breakdown of 600 chips is better if you can swing it.

200 x 0.25
200 x $1
150 x $5
40 x $25
10 x $100

Bank = $3,200

Also can't wait till you get them in cause they are going to be fun to play with!

Always great input, jz. I like the idea of an ND white chip but I'd rather just design a new 50c, $2, or $500 than use an ND. More colors + more chips =

Here's the final final inlays. Front stayed the same but we changed to the classier back, to match more with the front.

Front



Back

You don't have to tell me....I'm already contemplating how I can design another chip to add to my current set. Thinking maybe a $2 or $2.50 or a $500 myself. Stupid sickness....

Love the final design -- your set came together very well and will be fantastic. Looking forward to seeing them.

JZ has some great ideas re your breakdown, and I understand your reluctance to have a ND chip (although if you do go in that direction, white is a versatile choice). Your second breakdown looks good if you decide to get the nickels now instead of waiting for your first add-on.

Thanks! Once summer comes around and I'm graduated/commissioned in the Army I plan on getting some kind of all-day game together to break them in. More to follow.

Now that I look at the images I posted, the nickel actually only has one hash mark on either side in red, not the double like shown... I fetched the wrong set of images from my email (plenty of e-mails/images traded between J5 and I) so yeah. Everything else is the same, though.

Hmm, FWIW, I really like the nickel with the double spots that you posted most recently.

Doh! I lied. The double spot is the correct one I got my spots/designs all mixed up.

Good choice.

I'm still a traditionalist about $1 whites, but if your local B&Ms use blue instead, then I'm okay with it.

Good stuff!

for .25/.50 game the $1 is gonna be your workhorse. I would order at least 400. My players like deep stacks and seems to invite more action. Just a thought

It's a .25/.25 NL game when we play with only $20 buyins right now, so not as deep as a .25/.50 game could get. I've also got to balance limit games so I'm not sure that 2/3rds of my order in $1s would be wise. If I were ordering 1k chips, then absolutely I would get something like 300 quarters + 400 ones.

The set is ordered! 1k chips in total. Estimated to be in IL the beginning of April. Super excited!