Looking for the BEST – CHEAP chips - for ME! (3 Viewers)

[Goldfish]

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/bcc-four-suits.49251/

what about these?

 

[TheWhat]

A month ago I signed up here, thinking I was purchasing the Milanos. Then the sample showed up, not a chance in the world I would have been happy with those lol.

Snagged a Super Sample from @Apache and am so happy I did. The "Get Samples" mantra was clear on this site, even as a lurker.

Anyhow, know you mentioned no slugs, but the Monte Carlo from that sampler set, come in quite a bit cheaper; have a really nice design (IMHO), and are available in Denominations that would meet Cash / Tourney styles. Actually had them out at a table this weekend beside some of the famed, JACK Paulsons. While you can notice differences, can't think of a single person I've ever hosted who would complain at our home games if we were using the Monte Carlo.

Would highly recommend a sampler, especially from @Apache to get a wide variety. Since then I have found a few folks here to sample other chip styles / sets from.

 

[surfik]

I think Nexgen are worth looking at but they are heavy.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

And I know people are giving you advice after you said you don’t want to do a, b, or c, but this might interest you as a man of many hobbies.

China Clay 8Vs. .10 a chip, with whites, browns, and purples still in stock. Covers you’re immediate need for .05/.10 games, you can do your own labels. A ton of these have come up for sale and will be in the future for you to add on the other colors.

Basically for $50 you have enough chips to cover your cash game, and while he’s spotted blank china clays may have been beneath what you wanted, the finished product will be far above when you’re done.

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/8v-compression-clay-blowout-sale.35015/
View attachment 453213

Well look at this! An answer from someone who actually read my post! Actually this is at least the second from you,so a big thank you for not trying to answer questions I didn't ask. So I have a few questions for you about these chips:

What makes these China clays better than Milanos or DaVincis? Or are they not any better, but just another option to consider because they are well within my budget?

What's it gonna cost me to label them? I see in the linked post that the seller will label for 35 cents a chip. Is this something I can do myself? I haven't done any research into labeling yet - it's on my list of things to get to. I do have my own color laser printer, so if the blank labels are available from Avery or elsewhere, then I assume I can do this myself for far less. Certainly I would want a label that is as close to a perfect fit within the center section as possible.

Does this particular chip come up for sale more often than other china clays, and at prices like this? Because I would definitely want to add more. (OK, I see you answered that)

 

[BarrieJ3]

Well look at this! An answer from someone who actually read my post! Actually this is at least the second from you,so a big thank you for not trying to answer questions I didn't ask. So I have a few questions for you about these chips:

What makes these China clays better than Milanos or DaVincis? Or are they not any better, but just another option to consider because they are well within my budget?

What's it gonna cost me to label them? I see in the linked post that the seller will label for 35 cents a chip. Is this something I can do myself? I haven't done any research into labeling yet - it's on my list of things to get to. I do have my own color laser printer, so if the blank labels are available from Avery or elsewhere, then I assume I can do this myself for far less. Certainly I would want a label that is as close to a perfect fit within the center section as possible.

Does this particular chip come up for sale more often than other china clays, and at prices like this? Because I would definitely want to add more. (OK, I see you answered that)

For a super budget set, there’s no downside to doing labels yourself. Takes a little bit of time, but also gives you some time with your chips. We’ve had some people do there own labels really well who would’ve already trouble shooter for you. Hmmm, @Taghkanic werent you doing your own labels/labeling?

 

[BearMetal]

I wouldn't buy fewer now and then try to add-on with the Milanos later. I'd be worried about color inconsistency over time.

 

[sheikh617]

See you in a year when you post your newly acquired chip room set, to go along with your custom cpc order and the paulson relabel set.

I feel like this was my life story, minus the CPC..... for now

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

If you are looking for the best CHEAP chip and you like the weight of the Milanos, get a sample of "NexGen Pro Classics". You can find them here https://www.thepokerstore.com/colle...le-pack-nexgen-pro-classic-9-gram-poker-chips. You would be surprised how many people actually started out with a set of either these or the NexGen 8000's (they might be the same thing I don't know). At their per chip cost you can easily get 1400+ of these, and any labels you need from @Gear to cover denominations they don't make, and still be WELL UNDER $500.

Thanks for the link. I have looked at NexGens before. Actually years ago. I'll get a sample set so I can at least give them a personal evaluation. I had seen at another site that they might be discontinued and some colors were unavailable, but this site seems to have them all. They do have the issue of no fracs, and they are the same price as Milanos, so I'm not saving anything, unless I like them better than Milanos. Actually costing me more, since I'd have to re-label both nickels and quarters, not just nickels as I would with a set of Milanos.

If I understand correctly, these are all plastic, not china clays, correct?

 

[BearMetal]

Just turn off your computer, and walk away now while you still can ... (See my 1 year post)

Don't rush this ... take your time - spend a little bit on samples. After being here for a year, I've found two truths:

• High quality ceramics like those from BR Pro are fantastic, durable, and require ZERO maintenance. They are a great first set.
• China Clays aren't worth it (except for the Royals. I love the Royals). I'd go with a used Paulson set over most China Clays.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

The Cadino Da Vinci chips are far superior to the Milano chips. They were one of the very first china clay chip designs (made by Eastony Industries for DaVinci Imports) using the spirit mold, and are much closer in sound and feel to real clay chips than the more modern plasticized china clays sold today.

Although no longer produced, the older spirit mold china chips were widely sold with other themed artwork (Pryamid Casino, etc.) and also as blanks (no labels) with a variety of different edge spots and colors (mostly 4d14 pattern), meaning that there are a large number of them in existence -- which you might pry out of hiding in the used chip market, typically at 20c-25c or less.

There may be other scattered stashes of new old stock (mostly blanks) still out there on various old web sites that could be garnered at a discount, but will require some dedicated searching.

Afaik, there aren't any older-style china clay chips that offered nickel denominations except for the Pharaoh's Club & Casino, which although on a different mold, can be reasonbly paired with the spirit mold chips.

There were also a large number of similar-material china clays made using other molds (Dunes, Desert Palms, greek key, among others) that used either similar spot patterns or 8V spots, that would work as part of an older cc set.

They all turn up in the PCF classifieds and other places (eBay, craigslist, facebook, etc.), but if you're looking for a single turnkey solution meeting all of your requirements and within your budget constraints, it's simply not gonna happen. It will take time, patience, and money.

THANKS! Great answer and very helpful information. I had the feeling from photos that I might like the DaVincis. Good to know they are of a decent quality. And if they pair well with the 8Vs then between what's on clearance at Chips and Games and the 8V link above, I could be well on my way to filling a cash set and getting started on a tournament set. I have no issues putting together the sets over time. I just want to figure out which direction I'm going before I get started.

Just so I understand, when you say far superior to Milanos, in exactly what regard? Having handled very few truly good chips, I'm not exactly sure how to evaluate quality. I just know that the Milanos look and feel pretty nice to me.

 

[Beakertwang]

THANKS! Great answer and very helpful information. I had the feeling from photos that I might like the DaVincis. Good to know they are of a decent quality. And if they pair well with the 8Vs then between what's on clearance at Chips and Games and the 8V link above, I could be well on my way to filling a cash set and getting started on a tournament set. I have no issues putting together the sets over time. I just want to figure out which direction I'm going before I get started.

Just so I understand, when you say far superior to Milanos, in exactly what regard? Having handled very few truly good chips, I'm not exactly sure how to evaluate quality. I just know that the Milanos look and feel pretty nice to me.

The “spirit molds” are available here for 7¢ for unlabeled solids, 10¢ for unlabeled spotted chips, to 13¢ for labeled DaVinci and Pyramid Casino chips. They really do feel and sound more like actual clay chips than any other inexpensive option. Be warned, they tend to be very fragile. Flaking, chipping, flea bites, breaking, etc. are all common. The solids are particularly easy to break.

 

[BarrieJ3]

• China Clays aren't worth it (except for the Royals. I love the Royals).

Woah woah woah my metallic ursidae! Let's not let this get too far out of hand, lest my CPS come a smacking you with salmon.

 

[BirdCage]

Be warned, they tend to be very fragile. Flaking, chipping, flea bites, breaking, etc. are all common. The solids are particularly easy to break.

As an FYI, this is why I, and perhaps others, didn’t recommend earlier versions of CCs. This forum has numerous reports of questionable quality and durability (with pictures) for early CCs. Please research prior to purchasing. You get what you pay for. Caveat emptor.

 

[BirdCage]

China Clays aren't worth it (except for the Royals. I love the Royals). I'd go with a used Paulson set over most China Clays.

Disagree. Dunes v2.0 are worth it, see attached pic!

Agree. Paulsons are better, but at least 3x the cost for worn chips.

 

[Mr Winberg]

Lots of Milano hate here!

Just to offer some balance to the debate, I really like my Milanos. I've played with both Paulsons (CDI) and Sunfly thanks to the scrubbiness of @HMK, and I still like my Milanos. I was lucky enough to get them with consistent thickness and colors. YMMV.

Also, I believe the new CCs don't crumble like the old did, I read that somewhere at PCF.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

He needs 400 labels tops (both sides of nickel and quarter) - the rest of them can be used as is. While I agree he should be saving his money for something better (I preach about custom ceramics from brpropoker) that wasn't an option he offered. He wanted cheap as possible and liked the weight of Milanos. That is dirt cheap. Hell if we are afraid labels will put it over get this https://www.discountpokershop.com/c...MIkeqhxKOc6QIVj4bACh0-WQEBEAQYAiABEgJWRvD_BwE but I think we both know Gear is better

Thanks for that link. I had asked in another reply about DIY labels and was thinking Avery. Are these waterproof? I didn't see that in the description, nor did I see the size of the label. I'm assuming that different chips have different sized areas for labels.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

Are you sure you need 1500 chips?

Well technically I don't NEED any poker chips. LOL! But I'm thinking ahead to what I might want to do once I have chips and start hosting some home games. I've mapped out several scenarios for the types of games I'd like to host and numbers of players I would expect. Also, since I'm not spending a fortune on Paulsons, I'd rather err on the side of having too many rather than too few. This is where I'm currently leaning:

Cash set:
$0.05 x 150
$0.25 x 150
$1 x 200
$5 x 200
Add oversized 43mm $25 or $20 plaques if my cash games get bigger later.

Tournament set:
T25 x 200
T100 x 225
T500 x 75
T1000 x 150
T5000 x 50

That's 1400 chips. Also, PLEASE, I don't want this thread to turn into a chip count discussion. I've done that elsewhere, and I'm reasonably happy with this breakdown, or tweaking it a bit to something close. So to answer your question, yes, about 1400-1500 is how many chips I want to buy in the near future.

 

[BarrieJ3]

Well technically I don't NEED any poker chips. LOL! But I'm thinking ahead to what I might want to do once I have chips and start hosting some home games. I've mapped out several scenarios for the types of games I'd like to host and numbers of players I would expect. Also, since I'm not spending a fortune on Paulsons, I'd rather err on the side of having too many rather than too few. This is where I'm currently leaning:

Cash set:
$0.05 x 150
$0.25 x 150
$1 x 200
$5 x 200
Add oversized 43mm $25 or $20 plaques if my cash games get bigger later.

Tournament set:
T25 x 200
T100 x 225
T500 x 75
T1000 x 150
T5000 x 50

That's 1400 chips. Also, PLEASE, I don't want this thread to turn into a chip count discussion. I've done that elsewhere, and I'm reasonably happy with this breakdown, or tweaking it a bit to something close. So to answer your question, yes, about 1400-1500 is how many chips I want to buy in the near future.

One other note, you're in a land with many chippers on here! Once all this Covid passes, don't be afraid to reach out. Chips may be chips, but it's always fun to play and see someone else's setup. (I'll be moving to Texas here in two months as well!)

And not reallllly discussing chip count (I really don't know shit and depend on others here), but do me a favor and search on here looking at the discussions of doing away with the T25 completely (no idea, but I think this is a recent change throughout some WSOP events and something some here have liked). Just wished I had seen that when purchasing my tourney stuff.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

@TX_Golf_N_Poker, I posted that quickly, but I have a few minutes to expound.

How many players do you expect? A ten-player tourney can be covered with as few as 300 chips, with a good breakdown. Most cash games can be covered with 500-600 chips, again of the breakdown is good.

Will you play more tournaments or more cash games? I only host a few tournaments a year, so I went cheaper for my tourney set. These are 12¢/chip (plus shipping and storage), and I’ve been very happy with them. They’re heavy, of course, but not as slippery as some sluggers I’ve tried. The colors are nice, and they have easy to read denominations.

That will leave you with well over $400 for your cash chips, which gets you into 43mm Royals from Apache (very nice), or semi-custom ceramics from @BR Pro Poker.

Welcome to the forum, and happy chipping!

Interesting that you would link to those chips. I'm expecting a sample set of Lucky Horseshoes to be delivered today or tomorrow from the same vendor. I believe they are the same or very similar chips with a different mold and different label. Yes, these could absolutely be an acceptable tournament set.

 

[Beakertwang]

Interesting that you would link to those chips. I'm expecting a sample set of Lucky Horseshoes to be delivered today or tomorrow from the same vendor. I believe they are the same or very similar chips with a different mold and different label. Yes, these could absolutely be an acceptable tournament set.

I would assume the Outlaws are similar—just different mold and design—and they are also well liked as far as sluggers go.

 

[Papasatyr]

OP,
At 20-25 cents/chip, you're not likely to get everything you want. In your situation, two good options:
1) Milanos--see if you can you can work with fewer chips. If so, get Milanos. They're fantastic!
2) 14g Claysmith Chips--yes, they definitely feel a little heavy at 14g. But they sound OK, and they stack like a boss!

If those options don't work, I'd look for something used. Fellow members have mentioned several decent, out-of-production chips. I'd like to add 10g dice chips, known to chippers as "faux clays" to the list of recommendations.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/bcc-four-suits.49251/

what about these?

I'm sorry, but I don't know what I'm looking at? Are these more Paulsons at $1 a chip? They're WAY over my budget.

 

[tabletalker7]

Thanks for that link. I had asked in another reply about DIY labels and was thinking Avery. Are these waterproof? I didn't see that in the description, nor did I see the size of the label. I'm assuming that different chips have different sized areas for labels.

If waterproof is a problem go to onlinelabels.com and get sheets of weatherproof labels meant for your style printer.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

I wouldn't buy fewer now and then try to add-on with the Milanos later. I'd be worried about color inconsistency over time.

I'm not planning to add more of the same color later. I would either buy everything I want at once, or buy a cash set now and a tournament set later, so different denominations and colors in a future buy.

 

[Beakertwang]

I'm sorry, but I don't know what I'm looking at? Are these more Paulsons at $1 a chip? They're WAY over my budget.

They are BCC (Blue Chip Company), a now defunct manufacturer of clay chips. They are similar to Paulsons, but have a distinct feel and aesthetic. Fantastic chips, and that Ian a really cool microstakes set.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

Just turn off your computer, and walk away now while you still can ... (See my 1 year post)

Don't rush this ... take your time - spend a little bit on samples. After being here for a year, I've found two truths:

• High quality ceramics like those from BR Pro are fantastic, durable, and require ZERO maintenance. They are a great first set.
• China Clays aren't worth it (except for the Royals. I love the Royals). I'd go with a used Paulson set over most China Clays.

Thanks, I can see where that might be good advice. (just leaving now) Actually, I'm a pretty under control person. As I've said before, I'm CHEAP. I have no worries that this is going to blow up into a $10,000 collection. Or even a $1000 collection. I want to buy one recreational set of chips, as CHEAPLY as possible, and then PLAY POKER! That is the real reason to own chips, right?

I guess I need to get some ceramic samples. I've looked at some like the donkey set, and others. But I don't think that's what I'm looking for. I feel like I want clay. I'll get some samples one of these days. Very well might change my mind.

 

[Beakertwang]

Thanks, I can see where that might be good advice. (just leaving now) Actually, I'm a pretty under control person. As I've said before, I'm CHEAP. I have no worries that this is going to blow up into a $10,000 collection. Or even a $1000 collection. I want to buy one recreational set of chips, as CHEAPLY as possible, and then PLAY POKER! That is the real reason to own chips, right?

I guess I need to get some ceramic samples. I've looked at some like the donkey set, and others. But I don't think that's what I'm looking for. I feel like I want clay. I'll get some samples one of these days. Very well might change my mind.

Just to be clear: China clays are NOT clay. Nor are any of the cheapies that’s call themselves clay or clay composite. They are injection-molded plastic. That’s not necessarily bad, you should just know what you’re getting.

 

[Goldfish]

I'm sorry, but I don't know what I'm looking at? Are these more Paulsons at $1 a chip? They're WAY over my budget.

Haha. U said budget. Funny.... I too had a budget when I first started.....

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

One other note, you're in a land with many chippers on here! Once all this Covid passes, don't be afraid to reach out. Chips may be chips, but it's always fun to play and see someone else's setup. (I'll be moving to Texas here in two months as well!)

And not reallllly discussing chip count (I really don't know shit and depend on others here), but do me a favor and search on here looking at the discussions of doing away with the T25 completely (no idea, but I think this is a recent change throughout some WSOP events and something some here have liked). Just wished I had seen that when purchasing my tourney stuff.

Thanks. As far as getting rid of 25s - NOT GONNA HAPPEN with me! You see, GREEN is my favorite color, so with many sets, the 25 is my favorite chip. So no matter what professional tournaments do, MY tournaments are going to start out with T25s. Only other option would be re-labeling.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

I would assume the Outlaws are similar—just different mold and design—and they are also well liked as far as sluggers go.

Yeah those are cool chips. But they won't work for me. The denominations are not printed prominently enough. I would prefer to be able to play without having to wear my reading glasses! I realized this was going to be a problem when I received my Rock & Roll samples from Claysmith. Not that I won't eventually know the denomination just by color, but most of my friends are 50 and up, so I want them to be as clear as possible.