Resale value for new Apache set vs Paulson grade set (1 Viewer)

[ModestMind]

Hey everyone, new here and didn't find what I was looking for in a quick search so figured I would ask.

I'm looking to get a set of nice chips to use for home cash games. Long term I plan to design a custom set from CPC, but not looking to rush the design process and delivery time will be a while.

My question is around which of my prospective near term sets would hold their value the best and be easiest to resell back to the forum.

My CPC set will likely be somewhere between 600-1000 chips, so I'm open to spending around the same amount now if the chips I buy won't lose their value with light use over a year or two.

I've ordered some samples from Apache and plan to buy a few samples from some Paulson's and CPC chips.

Knowing that I "plan" to sell the set within the next few years, which of these options would hold their value the best while being used in home games.

A. Apache chips like dunes or majestic
B. Stock CPC chips like Atlantic or Rounders
C. Paulson chips from a casino that is not currently in business
D. Public release Paulson's
E. Second hand CPC custom set

Right now I'm split between the options for other reasons like hand picking denominations that we actually play with vs high value denominations in some second hand sets, but hoping that this question may help me lean one direction or another. Also, I have a long list of things I bought and "planned" to sell but never did, so there's also that

Thanks in advance!

 

[Tonystark137]

C & D should hold the most value.

Could just go with a Budget Tina set.

 

[ModestMind]

Are there any unwritten or written rules that I should be aware of if I buy a set on the forum and try to sell the same set at a later date?

 

[allforcharity]

C and D likely to keep their value. B not bad. Biggest percentage loss with others unless you get them very cheap in the first place.

 

[Josh Kifer]

If you are going to resell, cut out anything but Paulson's. CPCs or anything else will not hold the value at all.

 

[WideRange]

How do folks generally think about in game use degrades value for something like Paulson chips? Naturally dependent on situation, but a question I had was how much normal wear and tear (let's say from a couple years regular of home game use) affects resale value.

 

[MattyA]

I bought a well-worn set of HSI chips from Apache about 5 years ago. I don't think they are in any worse condition than when I bought them.

If you have mint condition chips that's a different story.

 

[BGinGA]

How do folks generally think about in game use degrades value for something like Paulson chips? Naturally dependent on situation, but a question I had was how much normal wear and tear (let's say from a couple years regular of home game use) affects resale value.

Depends mostly if the wear changes the condition category.

Mint/unused chips going to Excellent condition will take a hit. Excellent to Good condition will take a bigger hit. But chips that don't change categories typically won't be affected.

And most casual home game usage will not significantly change chip condition.

 

[upNdown]

How do folks generally think about in game use degrades value for something like Paulson chips? Naturally dependent on situation, but a question I had was how much normal wear and tear (let's say from a couple years regular of home game use) affects resale value.

A keen eye can notice the difference when mint-unplayed chips are used for a few games. But after that initial mintiness is worn off, (or if you're starting from a VG-Ex condition,) it' going to take a lot of usage to put any noticeable wear on chips. I suppose if you're using them weekly for long sessions with players who shuffle, yeah, you might notice that wear after a couple of years? Its not something I'd worry about.

And condition for playable sets is overwrought, I think. So many of the chips PCFers buy, sell, and play, came out of huge lots from retired casinos. The casino-used chips tend to find their value, and that's what they're worth. If one guy buys a set of casino used horseshoes and puts them on the shelf, and another guy buys the same set and plays with them for a year, when those guys sell those sets, they'll probably sell for the same amount, because that's what our market recognizes as the value for casino used horseshoes.

 

[wootaki]

Kind of in a similar situation. Once I figured this was going to be a hobby and knew I'd end up with multiple sets the question was which one first.

If budget is a consideration and you want to get playing then go with the china clays. I dont get to see my friends often and they don't even care about what chips are used so I was pretty set on creating a custom tina hybrid set. Something relatively affordable (compared to paulsons) and that I could customize to my liking. But handling the ceramic hybrids vs CPC samples over the last few weeks, I decided as that much has I want the custom colors and edge spots from the custom set, the feeling of clay cant be replicated.

I understand wanting something with resale value, but I would suggest going with something you will enjoy playing with. Maybe consider your first set purchase to be used as a backup set once you make your custom CPCs. If I had a Rounders/Atlantic as my first set I wouldn't get rid of it.

 

[Moxie Mike]

Are there any unwritten or written rules that I should be aware of if I buy a set on the forum and try to sell the same set at a later date?

Flipping is generally frowned upon but there's not really anything immoral about it.

I acquired all the chips I currently own by buying and selling over the course of 4-5 years. A little bit here, a little more there, buy some, sell some, trade some... eventually I got to where my playable sets are all where I want them to be... so I'm less active in the classifieds then I used to be.

As to resale value, the biggest thing to consider is the economic conditions we're in. The Pandemic caused chip prices to skyrocket in just a couple years' time... casino worn Paulsons that were going for .75 - a buck a chip 5 years ago now routinely sell for $2-3. That's because of all the extra money flowing into the hobby combined with a bunch of new hobbyists. The increase in demand wasn't met with a proportional increase in supply so prices went up.

Realistically, chips prices have pretty much hit their ceiling for this cycle in my opinion. Not to say they'll never go up again, but as the US economy continues to trend toward recession, it's unlikely prices are going to spike again any time soon.

The Apache chips are a mass produced retail product. So just like anything else, they're going to drop in resale value as soon as you acquire them, unless they go on backorder or something. Think of it like this: no one is going to buy something used for the same price they can get the same thing brand new.

How do folks generally think about in game use degrades value for something like Paulson chips? Naturally dependent on situation, but a question I had was how much normal wear and tear (let's say from a couple years regular of home game use) affects resale value.

This comes up from time to time where people ask about the risks of putting mint chips in play. The general consensus is that chipping isn't really about acquiring assets as a storer of value. So if you have chips and want to put them into play, go for it!

 

[Josh Kifer]

How do folks generally think about in game use degrades value for something like Paulson chips? Naturally dependent on situation, but a question I had was how much normal wear and tear (let's say from a couple years regular of home game use) affects resale value.

Can it? Yes. But I'll also say, casinos use chips nonstop for years to create wear. The 30-40 games someone plays over two years on a set will rarely do much to the chips. Yeah, they might not be "mint brand new never played in box", but for general chipping, they are still promo chips with little to no wear past maybe needing a cleaning.

It's kinda a mirage of an issue imo.

 

[springbox]

Are there any unwritten or written rules that I should be aware of if I buy a set on the forum and try to sell the same set at a later date?

Flipping is generally frowned upon but there's not really anything immoral about it.

Worth noting, flipping is generally buying a set with the intent of making a profit on reselling it. Buying a set, playing with it and later deciding to sell those chips is incredibly common. Buying a bunch of chips and then immediately re-listing them at a higher price will get people mad at you though.

There's a lot of grey area, and many people do buy chips with the idea they'll appreciate in value without ever planning on playing them, but you generally have to be fairly egregious to piss people off.