Help identifying these chips (1 Viewer)

[HughDrackman]

I was at an antique mall earlier today, and I came across these old chips. They were labeled “Bag of Vintage Clay Poker Chips.” They are mustard yellow, and appear to be “hot stamped” (I use that term loosely) with $5.00 on one side, and “H & W” on the other.

They appear to have all the markings of clay chips. They have a circular mold with an inside and outside ring, and the centers all seem to be uniform.

Whoever has these last didn’t treat them very well at all. Some appear to have burn marks on them, and the hot stamps are very faded on some of the chips.

Any idea what their story might be? I paid $30 for 42 total chips. There was another baggie of mixed red and blue chips in the same display case that had the “H & W” stamped on one side, but no denominations at all.

 

[TheOffalo]

Look like these:

http://www.antiquegamblingchips.com/molddesign_geometric.htm#md55

 

[BamaT8ter]

Dots mold. MD-55. They are clay. Very old. I wouldn't pay a lot for them, but they're pretty cool.

http://www.antiquegamblingchips.com/molddesign_geometric.htm

 

[HughDrackman]

Dots mold. MD-55. They are clay. Very old. I wouldn't pay a lot for them, but they're pretty cool.

http://www.antiquegamblingchips.com/molddesign_geometric.htm

Nice! So they were these mass produced chips that people customized?

 

[upNdown]

Those burns might just be cigarette burns. Apparently people used to rest their cigarette on a chip, in the absence of an ashtray. Not sure where they were flicking their ashes though.

 

[BamaT8ter]

Nice! So they were these mass produced chips that people customized?

I mean, the chips were mass produced in the 30s and 40s and then sold to the public. Most were probably sold to individuals, small card rooms and illegal establishments, or to like Elks Lodges or their equivalent. I had a bunch of them that I sold to @Josh Kifer

 

[HughDrackman]

Anyone think it’s worth it to go back for the red and blue chips? They looked like they were from the same mold as these yellows.

 

[Josh Kifer]

I mean, the chips were mass produced in the 30s and 40s and then sold to the public. Most were probably sold to individuals, small card rooms and illegal establishments, or to like Elks Lodges or their equivalent. I had a bunch of them that I sold to @Josh Kifer

They clean up nicely!

 

[upNdown]

Anyone think it’s worth it to go back for the red and blue chips? They looked like they were from the same mold as these yellows.

I think it’s always nice to keep chips together that belong together. But honestly, unless you find a collector obsessed with H & W, these chips would be worth less than you paid for them per chip even if you had a playable set. So it’s up to you and how much you like them.

 

[HughDrackman]

Thanks for the help everybody. I was thinking I could try to clean them up, then make an inlay for them, and relabel them as fracs. They could be a fun alternative in a small cash game.

 

[AlbinoDragon]

Thanks for the help everybody. I was thinking I could try to clean them up, then make an inlay for them, and relabel them as fracs. They could be a fun alternative in a small cash game.

You'd have to mill them before adding a label. It looks like those don't have a recess for a label-over. Something to consider.


Cool, old chips though.

 

[LeLe]

Very Cool mold, I be willing to pay $42 for 30 chips

I think it more than fair price, they prob just need a good wash and will look amazing

 

[Marius L]

Somewhat rare mold for sure. Vintage clay chips. Moneywise i doubt you will ever get that much back if you are looking at reselling them, but it's a fun part of clay chip history to have sets on multiple vintage molds so worth whatever you think, kinda. Usually I think 10c/chip for these older random molds, but I might be a bit on the conservative side, and others might be willing to pay more.

 

[HughDrackman]

These chips did, indeed clean up nice. They’re more of a bright yellow note instead of a mustard yellow. Some of them were too scorched to be saved, but my girlfriend said she can use those to make art, so win / win!

Thanks to everyone for all your help in at least identifying the mold. I’m still not sure what I want to do with these, but I want to do something.

 

[allforcharity]

That's a lot of cigarette burns.

 

[ekricket]

That's a lot of cigarette burns.

Character

 

[Marius L]

Just FYI if you are looking for more of these, there is this lot available on FB marketplace:

About 510 chips for $250.

Too expensive for me, especially with international shipping but if you wanna build a full set somehow it could be a good option.

Pretty rare and old chips/mold. There's more info here if you are curious about the molds history.

Post in thread 'MD-55 Dots Mold' https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/md-55-dots-mold.79699/post-1631480

 

[HughDrackman]

Just FYI if you are looking for more of these, there is this lot available on FB marketplace:

About 510 chips for $250.

Too expensive for me, especially with international shipping but if you wanna build a full set somehow it could be a good option.

Pretty rare and old chips/mold. There's more info here if you are curious about the molds history.

Post in thread 'MD-55 Dots Mold' https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/md-55-dots-mold.79699/post-1631480

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Great info! I’d entertain a purchase of just the yellows of the price was right. I tried looking on FB marketplace, but couldn’t find them. Maybe it’s the algorithm that doesn’t want me to inquire about a purchase.

I’ll go home tonight and check to see if mine have that small “S” next to the mold.