Entry level Paulsons (1 Viewer)

[maniac308]

So I have just recently started the chip collecting process. I've set aside a little nest of money for my future poker endeavors and i've so far decided on 4 definite sets. I came at a great time, and I love what this community is doing, has done, and will continue to do. The four sets i've decided on are:

Main set - Boardwalk hybrids (I effing love borgata)
Tourney set - Re-release of the dunes (hopefully this happens)
Workhorse cash set- Monte carlos (I personally don't mind them, but everyone I play with LOVES them)
Small set - Tiki Kings (because they look awesome)

So anyways I have quite a bit of cash left over, because I originally thought I would get a CPC custom set... However CPC customs are way more expensive than I thought... I really could not imagine a chip could cost upwards of $3-5 dollars a piece until I got on this forum. So now I really want clay chips but I just cannot afford that much without any regrets. Im looking for a small set, maybe 300-400, that I can use for certain games with my close friends. We usually play around $100 buy in with 8 players and maybe 3-4 re buys. So I think 300-400 can easily cover this.

My price range for these chips would be around $1-$1.50 a piece, or $2 if they have great resale value. I don't know if there are even paulsons that sell for this cheap, but I am willing to buy ones I need to clean and such. If anyone could give me some advice as to which ones I should focus on and which I should avoid that would be great!

Thanks

 

[doakwolf]

I don't know if there's an actual answer to the question to be honest but my advice is; check the classifieds on this site a couple of times per day and subscribe to the eBay search "Paulson chips" and check your email daily.

That said, I'm about as far away from the capital of "clay poker chips" (USA!) as one can get so my options are limited compared to yours.

Aside from getting lucky and stumbling across a bargain set (like the 007s chipjoker just posted in the eBay/craigslist forum) I guess you just need to decide if you're happy with worn out old casino chips (usually about a buck each & needing a clean) or maybe some old cardroom or personalised/initialed hoststamps etc.

Good luck with the search.

p.s. have you considered some BCCs? There's a nice TMSC hotstamp set for sale here ATM. Might suit if you like stamps. But maybe not enough $5s for your $100 buy in game.

 

[Chicken Rob]

There are paulsons that come up for less than $2 each. I just auctioned a big set at under .60 each. They are casino worn, not minty fresh.

I am also planning an epic CPC set. It's averaging under $2/chip and is fully custom and amazing imho.

You should just slow down, get the first 2 chip sets on your list, play with them for a while, let your clay tastes develop more fully, save a little money, and go with a CPC custom set.

There is never a guarantee on resale value, past performance is no guarantee of future earnings, but paulsons seem to be selling strongly right now.

 

[slisk250]

Check your inbox. I can help you in that price range and breakdown.

 

[chkmte]

My two cents...Paulson is the best, period. To be fair, I've not really explored too many other high-end chips - but never had a problem with Paulsons.

I would suggest building a near mint or very good condition Top Hat & Cane set or perhaps something like a Casino Aztar lot.

I also suggest you to take your time and wait for the right deal to come along. There are many opportunities between this forum, eBay and Craigslist.

Good luck,
Tim

 

[DrStrange]

Do your homework and make a wish list. There will be ample opportunity to get a set at or below your price point but you often will need to decide very quickly. That is why you need to know what you want before it come up for sale.

Good hunting! -=- DrStrange

 

[Marius L]

Do your homework and make a wish list. There will be ample opportunity to get a set at or below your price point but you often will need to decide very quickly. That is why you need to know what you want before it come up for sale.

Good hunting! -=- DrStrange

Agree with this. I think your first decission is to decide if you are happy with worn casino used paulsons or not. You can find these downwards of 40-50 cent a chip. Better condition chips are more expensive, so you need to decide on a big set of worn chips or a smaller set of mintier chips. Browse the classifieds and eBay for a few weeks/months and try to get an understanding of what is a decent deal in todays market. Considering you are already getting 4 other sets I assume you are not nessesarily in a hurry to get a playable paulson set and therefore should be able to get a good set with some patience (and luck), but as the doctor said you will probably need to decide quickly when these deals do show up.

 

[MillyS]

Main set - Boardwalk hybrids (I effing love borgata)
Tourney set - Re-release of the dunes (hopefully this happens)
Workhorse cash set- Monte carlos (I personally don't mind them, but everyone I play with LOVES them)
Small set - Tiki Kings (because they look awesome)

I like your choices. I am looking to do something very similar.

Majestics - already got them - main set for now
Large set - Boardwalk hybrids - looking to pick up approx. 1500/2000 chips
Small set - Tiki Kings - 500 chips
Small set - Iron bank ceramic - 500 chips (hopefully this happens)
CPC - at some stage a few years down the line at least.

Classifieds for sure for your Paulson set.

 

[JTBass]

I would highly recommend getting the Tiki Kings from Old West Poker Supplies, great supporter of the community here and makes a great product.

 

[slisk250]

I would highly recommend getting the Tiki Kings from Old West Poker Supplies, great supporter of the community here and makes a great product.

Before I went nutz buying every Paulson chip that was for sale, I just about pulled the trigger on a set of Tikis. I like 'em too.

 

[churlbut18]

I definitely agree with everyone's advice to first determine what condition (used vs. mint) you desire because condition will be the primary driver of cost.

As for me, I first bought some used/worn Paulsons at a good price and sold them the day I received them because I hated the condition. Lesson learned.

So knowing that, and knowing I couldn't afford a full mint set at once, I chose the mixed set route which I don't think has been mentioned yet. This would allow you to buy 1-2 racks at a time, find chips and denominations you like, and helps spread the cost of pricier chips out over time. Also allows you flexibility to swap new chips in and out and bolt on over time.

Ideal for me. Mint chips!! $200 here. $200 there.

 

[manamongkids]

There were some great entry level paulsons but unfortunately someone sniped them to flip them

 

[maniac308]

I don't know if there's an actual answer to the question to be honest but my advice is; check the classifieds on this site a couple of times per day and subscribe to the eBay search "Paulson chips" and check your email daily.

I didn't know you could do that, but I did just that!

I am also planning an epic CPC set. It's averaging under $2/chip and is fully custom and amazing imho.

You should just slow down, get the first 2 chip sets on your list, play with them for a while, let your clay tastes develop more fully, save a little money, and go with a CPC custom set.

I understand completely what you're saying, thats what I wanted to do. Just wait, most likely, 1.5-2 years until I can lay down that much on a CPC set (I would only want to do a nice 1000-1200 chip order). So thats what I figured hey maybe I can get a paulson set that I can sell at maybe a .20-.30 loss in a year or two and that will hold me over. I know I could get less than $2, but I really want the FDL mold lol. Thanks for the advice though much appreciated.

My two cents...Paulson is the best, period. To be fair, I've not really explored too many other high-end chips - but never had a problem with Paulsons.

I would suggest building a near mint or very good condition Top Hat & Cane set or perhaps something like a Casino Aztar lot.

I also suggest you to take your time and wait for the right deal to come along. There are many opportunities between this forum, eBay and Craigslist.

Good luck,
Tim

Top Hat & Cane ones are the ones I want, but I don't really see them. So I just figured they were super rare lol.

I like your choices. I am looking to do something very similar.

Majestics - already got them - main set for now
Large set - Boardwalk hybrids - looking to pick up approx. 1500/2000 chips
Small set - Tiki Kings - 500 chips
Small set - Iron bank ceramic - 500 chips (hopefully this happens)
CPC - at some stage a few years down the line at least.

Classifieds for sure for your Paulson set.

I just got my tiki kings sample in (100 chips 20 of ea denom)! They are awesome, stack well, feel great, look great. Can't wait to order the rest of the set. Probably ordering them today or tomorrow.

I would highly recommend getting the Tiki Kings from Old West Poker Supplies, great supporter of the community here and makes a great product.

Yeah I think im gonna use them this time, ordered from another site... Never responded to my emails, so im kinda annoyed by that.

I definitely agree with everyone's advice to first determine what condition (used vs. mint) you desire because condition will be the primary driver of cost.

As for me, I first bought some used/worn Paulsons at a good price and sold them the day I received them because I hated the condition. Lesson learned.

So knowing that, and knowing I couldn't afford a full mint set at once, I chose the mixed set route which I don't think has been mentioned yet. This would allow you to buy 1-2 racks at a time, find chips and denominations you like, and helps spread the cost of pricier chips out over time. Also allows you flexibility to swap new chips in and out and bolt on over time.

Ideal for me. Mint chips!! $200 here. $200 there.

Yeah I would do the $200 / rack idea but I don't see my self using paulsons after two years from now because one my poker circle around me doesn't know what a paulson is, and two I will have a CPC set then. So Im less inclined to buy individual racks that might not sell as well. Where as a set is probably easier to market and thus recoup cost.

Thanks everyone!

 

[justsomedude]

Yeah I would do the $200 / rack idea but I don't see my self using paulsons after two years from now because one my poker circle around me doesn't know what a paulson is, and two I will have a CPC set then. So Im less inclined to buy individual racks that might not sell as well. Where as a set is probably easier to market and thus recoup cost.

Thanks everyone!

Trust me... racks sell just as quickly as sets. In fact... sets are often broken up into racks for two main reasons:

1. Sets are damn expensive (figure $1,500 minimum for a good playable set - with bigger sets hitting $3k, $4k, or $5,000 easy).
2. People need racks to finish off their own collection.

Regardless - chip resale is pretty easy in these parts - and racks (and even barrels) move quick!

 

[chkmte]

Hey @maniac308 . What do you think of these Top Hat & Cane. I've got 'em, you can buy 'em.

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