Identifying Old vs New Paulsons (1 Viewer)

[LawdyD]

I was just told that Paulson changed their formula 15-20 years ago from mostly clay to about 50/50 clay/plastic. Is this something that is true and fairly well known? I am in the market for a nice set of Paulsons from a fallen casino. Is there a way to find out if sets are “new” vs “old” blend.

 

[Antrooper]

From what I heard, old Paulsons have 40% lead. I'm not sure about the new ones, but from what I purchased here they are pretty clay feeling.

 

[Eriks]

to about 50/50 clay/plastic

Pretty sure there’s a decent chunk of cotton in that mix as well

 

[ekricket]

Paulson changed their formula 15-20 years ago

Is there a way to find out if sets are “new” vs “old” blend.

If the chips are older than 15-20 years then they are the old formula. If they are made after they changed their formula they are the new formula. That’s what I heard at least.

 

[allforcharity]

I think any Paulson chip made before the mid-late 90s had higher lead content, and those made up to mid 2000 had a reduced lead content, and anything after 2005 has essentially none.

 

[chippitydoodah]

Pretty sure there’s a decent chunk of cotton in that mix as well

 

[upNdown]

I think any Paulson chip made before the mid-late 90s had higher lead content, and those made up to mid 2000 had a reduced lead content, and anything after 2005 has essentially none.

Exactly. So use the Chipguide or Wikipedia or whatever resources you have to figure out when the casino opened. It’s not 100% accurate, but you know if the casino opened say, 2010 or later (and orobably as far back as 2005) there’s zero lead in their chips.

Also if the chips are in decent condition and they’re selling in quantity on PCF for less than $3 apiece, they’re probably unleaded. Also, if you’re really worried about lead content, maybe do some research on how many people who were poker pros from the late 1970s through the early 2000s had lead poisoning issues. Because as far as I know that number is zero. Because nobody eats poker chips.

 

[ekricket]

Exactly. Because nobody eats poker chips.

Well, there is this

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/thre...-game-card-licking.106197/page-4#post-2489899

 

[upNdown]

Well, there is this

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/thre...-game-card-licking.106197/page-4#post-2489899

I remember reading about a story where somebody stuffed a stack or so of disgusting filthy $5 chips in their mouth, at the casino table, on some kind of bet.
(But I assumed they were unleaded RHCs.)

 

[allforcharity]

Also if the chips are in decent condition and they’re selling in quantity on PCF for less than $3 apiece, they’re probably unleaded.

Unless they're Starbursts, monogrammed chips or generic roulettes or other THC chips that were provided to many gaming schools back in the day. The vast majority of them are leaded (again, correlating with date of manufacture). Some of these can be gotten for less (or even far less) than $3 even these days.