Affordable but quality cash game chips advice (1 Viewer)

[riverchase]

I've been lusting over nice clay/ceramic poker chips since my early teens and the past 15 years. I've always played with the cheap dice set poker chips in home games. I make a little money now and can finally afford a decent set. My budget is around $300 for a 1000 piece set. However, I am open to getting a 500-800 piece set for higher quality chips around the same price. I'm willing to pay a bit more if I can justify it.

I will mainly be using these chips for cash home games $100 buy-in $1/2 blinds (5-7 players). I really like the sound of the Atlantic Club chips. I don't have many chips to compare to besides chips I've used at casinos. Pechanga Casino in California is probably my favorite chip to play with I think they're ceramic, but I also like San Manual's casino clay chips. Like most people on this forum I just want a nice chip set that I can use for a long time (preferably some classy 10g casino chips). I don't want a "beginners" set only to buy a better one a year later. If I ever make enough money I'll get some premium $1.50 chips, but for now I'd like to stick around the $0.15 - 0.35 range.

So far I've considered a few within my budget:
1. Milano's 10g
2. Nevada Jack (ceramic) - 10g -
3. Crown Chips - 13g looks plasticy, but looks classy
4. Outlaw Jack - 13g

My chip set (please provide feedback - I'm not sure if this mix makes sense). The higher valued chips are just for show $500-10K and will only use up one rack.

Chip Value	Chip Count	Total Chip Value
$ 1	400	$ 400
$ 5	400	$ 2,000
$ 25	100	$ 2,500
$ 50	10	$ 500
$ 100	50	$ 5,000
$ 500	10	$ 5,000
$ 1,000	10	$ 10,000
$ 5,000	10	$ 50,000
$ 10,000	10	$ 100,000

I've heard talks about great sales going around so I was thinking of maybe just waiting it out until I can snipe one as well or I can just buy something that's affordable now. Any help/tips/advice would be much appreciated.

 

[waddadonk]

Get samples to feel and hear them. This is a particularly good mix: https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/beginners-sample-pack.26301/

I'd recommend against buying chips "just for show" at that chip value. They're not limited or rare. When you're ready to graduate, those do not retain the value and will be tough to offload without a loss.

 

[uclaure]

Welcome fellow Angeleno! There are a number of us on here. You’ll probably hear this a lot...get samples.

 

[uclaure]

If you can up your budget by a couple hundred more, you could probably piece together a really nice Horseshoe Cincinnati set. Jim from @TheChipRoom will be having a sale of newly acquired casino chips...might want to keep an eye out for that.

 

[Beakertwang]

Welcome to PCF!

A few things:

• Definitely get samples
• The Crown and Outlaw chips look better, but are very similar in feel to, dice chips. They are heavy and slippery. They're fine, but not a huge upgrade.
• A lot of chips are only available in sleeves of 20 or 25, so getting 10 of your high denoms may be tough.
• Nevada Jack ceramics are decent, but I believe there are knockoffs that aren't as nice as the ones from @ABC Gifts and Awards, who is a respected PCF vendor.
• Message @ABC Gifts and Awards to see if you can get a good deal on some semi-custom ceramics.
• For one table of 1/2, 100 1's should be plenty (especially with 5-7 players), although I could make a case for 200. You certainly don't need 400, unless you plan on playing limit. $1x100, $5x200, $25x80, $100x20 will give you $5000 bank with 400 chips. allowing you to move up to 75¢/chip and stay within your budget. You certainly can get MOAR CHIPS!, but it's always a good idea to make the most of your money.

 

[MoscowRadio]

First of all, welcome! Secondly, I’ll say what everyone else will: get samples!

The Milanos were my first “real” chip purchase, and they would definitely fit in nicely with your budget! For a 1,000 chip set playing at 1/2 I would recommend the following breakdowns (depending on how your game plays:

$1 x 200/300
$5 x 600/500
$25 x 140/120
$100 x 60/80
Total bank = $12,700/$13,800

However, for 5-7 players, 800 is definitely plenty, and I would do the following:

$1 x 200
$5 x 400
$25 x 140
$100 x 60
Total bank = $11,700

The 5’s will definitely be your workhorse chip in the 1/2 game, and I think the 800 chip set would work great!

 

[riverchase]

Get samples to feel and hear them. This is a particularly good mix: https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/beginners-sample-pack.26301/

I'd recommend against buying chips "just for show" at that chip value. They're not limited or rare. When you're ready to graduate, those do not retain the value and will be tough to offload without a loss.

Thanks for the link I'll see if I can rent out some samples. The only reason I wanted the higher chip values is because of the colors. I really like the colors of them. Usually the $1 & 5's are a tad boring, but I'll keep your advice in mind.

Welcome fellow Angeleno! There are a number of us on here. You’ll probably hear this a lot...get samples.

Will do. Any recommendations of chips to focus on?

 

[riverchase]

Welcome to PCF!

A few things:

• Definitely get samples
• The Crown and Outlaw chips look better, but are very similar in feel to, dice chips. They are heavy and slippery. They're fine, but not a huge upgrade.
• A lot of chips are only available in sleeves of 20 or 25, so getting 10 of your high denoms may be tough.
• Nevada Jack ceramics are decent, but I believe there are knockoffs that aren't as nice as the ones from @ABC Gifts and Awards, who is a respected PCF vendor.
• Message @ABC Gifts and Awards to see if you can get a good deal on some semi-custom ceramics.
• For one table of 1/2, 100 1's should be plenty (especially with 5-7 players), although I could make a case for 200. You certainly don't need 400, unless you plan on playing limit. $1x100, $5x200, $25x80, $100x20 will give you $5000 bank with 400 chips. allowing you to move up to 75¢/chip and stay within your budget. You certainly can get MOAR CHIPS!, but it's always a good idea to make the most of your money.

Wow thank you for your detailed response. I'll reach out to ABC gifts and see what he has. I like your logic on cutting down the chips. I'm just used to playing poker in the casinos where everyone has the same chip denominations usually $5 and $100's (if they had a good run) so I figured I'd try to emulate that.

 

[MoscowRadio]

I forgot that Milanos come in rolls of 25, so you may have to consider either

$25 x 150
$100 x 50

or

$25 x 125
$100 x 75

As @Beakertwang said, this can definitely be done with fewer chips. I just threw out breakdowns for the amount that you had mentioned. A good breakdown will definitely help if/when you decide to upgrade and sell them! I know quite a few of us started with the Milanos. @Trihonda still has a very impressive set despite having some beautiful custom chips.

 

[MoscowRadio]

Even with a 600 piece set you could go with

$1 x 150/100
$5 x 350/400
$25 x 75
$100 x 25

And end up with a total bank of $6,275/$6,475.

 

[Saoliver]

Welcome. These aren’t out yet, but look amazing for the money. 43mm though.

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/43mm-project-discussion.35646/

 

[PlaidDragon]

Rather than buying cheaper plasticy chips you might want to check here:

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/royal-43-mm-poker-chips-presale.37620/

These look to be a really nice quality with excellent colors and spots. They are a larger than standard with a 43mm diameter, and a bit more pricey at (I think) 44¢ each.

If I wasn't vested in several other projects at once, I'd be looking to get a set of these but with custom labels.

Edit: Dah! Beat to the punch by @Saoliver !

 

[riverchase]

First of all, welcome! Secondly, I’ll say what everyone else will: get samples!

The Milanos were my first “real” chip purchase, and they would definitely fit in nicely with your budget! For a 1,000 chip set playing at 1/2 I would recommend the following breakdowns (depending on how your game plays:

$1 x 200/300
$5 x 600/500
$25 x 140/120
$100 x 60/80
Total bank = $12,700/$13,800

However, for 5-7 players, 800 is definitely plenty, and I would do the following:

$1 x 200
$5 x 400
$25 x 140
$100 x 60
Total bank = $11,700

The 5’s will definitely be your workhorse chip in the 1/2 game, and I think the 800 chip set would work great!

I forgot that Milanos come in rolls of 25, so you may have to consider either

$25 x 150
$100 x 50

or

$25 x 125
$100 x 75

As @Beakertwang said, this can definitely be done with fewer chips. I just threw out breakdowns for the amount that you had mentioned. A good breakdown will definitely help if/when you decide to upgrade and sell them! I know quite a few of us started with the Milanos. @Trihonda still has a very impressive set despite having some beautiful custom chips.

This breakdown makes so much more sense from a practical use standpoint. I'm just a sucker for bright colors (higher denominations). What chipset did you upgrade to after the Milanos if you don't mind me asking? I think the Milano's are fantastic, but knowing myself I will probably want to upgrade after a year or so. Maybe I can skip a few steps and spend a bit more on my initial buy. Thanks.

 

[Saoliver]

Rather than buying cheaper plasticy chips you might want to check here:

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/royal-43-mm-poker-chips-presale.37620/

These look to be a really nice quality with excellent colors and spots. They are a larger than standard 43mm in size and a bit more pricey at, I think, 44¢ each.

If I wasn't vested in several other projects at once, I'd be looking to get a set of these but with custom labels.

Edit: Dah! Beat to the punch by @Saoliver !

Great minds...

 

[MoscowRadio]

I forgot about the Royals! I would definitely check out the links that @Saoliver and @PlaidDragon provided. If I’m not mistaken, you can also buy blanks and labels separately to use the colors that you want. I know a lot of folks are planning on using the white chip with the red and blue spots as their $1 chip.

Plus, they look great! Especially that red chip!

 

[riverchase]

Welcome. These aren’t out yet, but look amazing for the money. 43mm though.

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/43mm-project-discussion.35646/

Rather than buying cheaper plasticy chips you might want to check here:

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/royal-43-mm-poker-chips-presale.37620/

These look to be a really nice quality with excellent colors and spots. They are a larger than standard 43mm in size and a bit more pricey at, I think, 44¢ each.

If I wasn't vested in several other projects at once, I'd be looking to get a set of these but with custom labels.

Edit: Dah! Beat to the punch by @Saoliver !

I forgot about the Royals! I would definitely check out the links that @Saoliver and @PlaidDragon provided. If I’m not mistaken, you can also buy blanks and labels separately to use the colors that you want. I know a lot of folks are planning on using the white chip with the red and blue spots as their $1 chip.

Oh wow those are gorgeous and affordable. So glad I joined this forum. Time to spend my Sunday doing some more quality poker chip research!

 

[JustinInMN]

Single table 1-2 500 chips can work.

100*1
300*5
80*25
20*100

Bank 5600, or 9 players for 600 each. (You could also let 100 notes play in a pinch)

+1 for semi custom ceramics at this price point. @ABC Gifts and Awards operates brpropoker.com which has good semi custom designs.

https://www.brpropoker.com/store/c7/Semi-Custom_Poker_Chips.html

64/rack * 5 racks = 320, about what you wanted to spend.

If you find the game needs to grow, get 500 more down the line.

 

[Rhodeman77]

If you don’t mind casino used chips that need to be cleaned, $1, $5, & $25 are some of the most affordable Paulson chips available generally. There will be a new sale coming soon from The Chip Room that will have those denominations at very cheap prices I would bet.

Around here ceramic chips don’t get a ton of love so if you love them you should be able to find something at a very good price.

I was able to put together this 1000 chip set of mixed ceramic chips for under $200. There are plenty of deals if you watch the vendor section and the classifieds.

For breakdown I’d suggest something more along the lines of:

$1’s—100–200
$5’s– 400–600
$25’s—100
$100’s—20

 

[MoscowRadio]

This breakdown makes so much more sense from a practical use standpoint. I'm just a sucker for bright colors (higher denominations). What chipset did you upgrade to after the Milanos if you don't mind me asking? I think the Milano's are fantastic, but knowing myself I will probably want to upgrade after a year or so. Maybe I can skip a few steps and spend a bit more on my initial buy. Thanks.

I actually went from the Milanos to the BCC Protégés, which were incredible. It was a sad day when I sold them, especially since BCC is now closed. However, they went to great home! The Milanos definitely saw a lot of play. I probably used them for about a year? Maybe a year and a half? I will say that there seem to be some inconsistencies in thickness and mold depth. I’ve seen photos where the mold is essentially non-existent in some spots on the chip. I truthfully think that the Royals would be a better choice. Good bright colors, the ability to choose which chip you want for your denominations, and, if you don’t like the stock design you can always have someone design a custom label for you!

 

[grantc54]

I would question if Milanos would be a security concern for $1/$2 as they are so readily available. Not sure since I dont play that high.

 

[CantSpellPoker]

I would question if Milanos would be a security concern for $1/$2 as they are so readily available. Not sure since I dont play that high.

Have thought of that myself in the past. Outside of going custom, I wonder if people do something subtle to differentiate their chips - like take a basic set of Milano’s and make some sort of marking or initialing (with paint/marker/etc...) on every chip. It can be basically invisible, as long as you know what to look for.

 

[SeanGecko]

If you like bright colors maybe re-label?
It works for me

 

[allforcharity]

Milanos and Majestics come as blanks so you can customize them as you like.

My general advice is to keep playing with your dice chips right now until you can save up a little more money. There is a world of difference between what's available at $0.40 a chip and what's available at $1 a chip. If you can trim the number of chips down to what you really need, then you can create some price efficiencies. Casino quality clays tend to keep their value, whereas China Clays do not, so you may be selling at a loss in the future when you decide to upgrade.

 

[SeanGecko]

Sell chips? What is this craziness you speak of?

 

[Forty4]

Thanks for the link I'll see if I can rent out some samples. The only reason I wanted the higher chip values is because of the colors. I really like the colors of them. Usually the $1 & 5's are a tad boring, but I'll keep your advice in mind.

Beginners pack is available. They really are to get a sense of what you might like.

Also if you like the higher denoms you could use them at 1/100th their value so a $25 is worth .25.

 

[Taghkanic]

So, what is this new Chip Room sale?

 

[Darson]

If you like ceramics, I have a 1400 chip GOCC set that would fit your budget:
200x $1
1000x $5
100x $25
100x $100

Some are used, some are new:

Moved to classifieds, where it belongs.

 

[waddadonk]

So, what is this new Chip Room sale?

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/where-am-i.41020/page-7#post-762900

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/where-am-i.41020/page-5#post-762135

 

[Matt Michaels]

If you like ceramics, I have a 1400 chip GOCC set that would fit your budget:
200x $1
1000x $5
100x $25
100x $100

Some are used, some are new:

View attachment 284757
View attachment 284758

I might be interested in this set. If no one else is.

 

[JustinInMN]

I might be interested in this set. If no one else is.

If @Darson is telling you about it, you can have dibs on it. This would be about perfect for what you want imo.