• This site contains affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase after clicking a link, Poker Chip Forum may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

So, where do you start...? (1 Viewer)

I came looking at a custom set in 2009. Now I have something more than ten playable vintage casino sets and another fist full of partial sets or small game sets. Still no customs but lots of ideas should I finally get going that direction.

I have to say that it is nice to have a different set in play every game for three months. My players think I am nuts, but they are slowly becoming aware that casino chips are a lot better than dice chips. And they do have favorite sets, yes they do. But they don't agree.

Just know that your first set isn't at all likely to be your last set -=- DrStrange
 
uploadfromtaptalk1454975375394.jpeg
 
DrStrange said:
I came looking at a custom set in 2009. Now I have something more than ten playable vintage casino sets and another fist full of partial sets or small game sets. Still no customs but lots of ideas should I finally get going that direction.

I have to say that it is nice to have a different set in play every game for three months. My players think I am nuts, but they are slowly becoming aware that casino chips are a lot better than dice chips. And they do have favorite sets, yes they do. But they don't agree.

Just know that your first set isn't at all likely to be your last set -=- DrStrange
Click to expand...

I can see you lot are going to be a very bad influence on me. I'm just glad y'all over the pond or I could be in some serious trouble.
 
AdamAAAA said:
I'm just glad y'all over the pond or I could be in some serious trouble.
Click to expand...

Ultimately that won't matter. There's plenty of European chippers on here, and even if there weren't, overseas shipping for a hot set ain't nothin' but an extra few quid. And if you're just looking for info, conversation, or opinions (chip-related or otherwise)...well, we've got that in spades.

In short...if you're reading this, you're already screwed. Enjoy!
 
AdamAAAA said:
Thank you for the welcome.

I'm spotting a pattern here. Wait for customs, but get something semi-decent to fill the void until then. The trouble is buying a decent set. I'll Google China clays and see what that's all about as it sounds like this could be the avenue I need to go down until I really know what I need.

I've tried to find poker clubs or get together's here but it seems that there's a real lack of interest. We have a couple of casinos but always feel a little weird going there on my own... Anyway...

Thanks again.
Click to expand...

I would definitely wait for customs. You'll likely regret it if you don't. However, another option you have, which is what I'm doing and what @ChaosRock did for one of his sets, is to get a set of "custom" Rounders chips. Basically, you can order replicas of chips that were in the movie as a set of customs, and you'll always have an audience to sell them to if you later decided you wanted to go a different route. Search for the "Rounders Rainman Style" thread if you want to see an example of what I'm doing. Or better yet, try to find ChaosRock's thread for his. He actually has the chips already with lots of pics posted of them since he ordered them over a year ago. Personally, I think these are pretty badass chips for the price. But they're not cheap either. But I do think it's better than getting a set of Paulson used Casino chips (not everyone here would agree with that statement though).

Just spend some time looking at the various Paulson sets that everyone here collects. There are many from casinos that have closed down. Some of these sets might speak to you, others won't. To each their own.

Depending on your budget, you can go several different routes. In no particular order, I'd say your options are:

  1. China Clays:
    • Cost: $0.36 ea
    • Pros: They're cheap, and you can resell them any time to recover most of your investment
    • Cons: Lower quality than the other options, they have labels - not inlays, they have some quality issues - many report them "crumbling" after a few years. I can't speak to that though. Some have label issues (read the "Majestics vs Pharaohs" thread).
  2. Paulson used casino chips:
    • Cost: varies widely - most are anywhere from $1 ea to $3 ea, but higher denoms can get pricy
    • Pros: They're Paulsons! Great quality, will last forever, you can always resell them, tons of options. You can mill them and relabel them with custom labels from @Gear.
    • Cons: They have some random casino's name and inlay on the chips. You may or may not like this. Also, price *could* come down on these if Paulson decides to ever sell to the public again, in which case you'd lose a little money by entering the market now. This doesn't appear to be likely though anytime soon. If you milled and labeled, you'd have labels instead of inlays.
  3. Paulson fantasy chips:
    • Cost: Anywhere from $2 ea to $5 ea for most sets
    • Pros: They're Paulsons! Great quality, will last forever, you can always resell them, they don't have some random casino's inlay designs
    • Cons: They're expensive, there aren't a ton of options to choose from, and you may or may not like them, some sets are hard to find in large quantities, and again, if Paulson reenters the market, these will likely plummet in value.
  4. Paulson Casino New/Mint:
    • Cost: Anywhere from $2.50 to $10 ea depending on denoms and demand
    • Pros: Sexy as hell. Sharp crisp edges, beautiful bright colors. Same quality as above, only newer. Can always sell to @BGinGA if you later decide to unload them. Otherwise subject to same pros as Paulson used.
    • Cons: Harder to find in large quantities than used, but still doable for some sets. Othwerise subject to same cons as Paulson used chips.
  5. T.R. King's (TRKs):
    • Cost: Can be very pricy. The chips in my profile pic range from $2 to $8 ea
    • Pros: They're TRKs!!! The best chips ever made! - anyone who says otherwise eats cat food for breakfast. The colors!!! Oh god, the colors!!! Your friends will all be drooling over them in home games. You can make love to your chips, and no one here would think you're strange (so long as you don't post pictures of your "splashed" pots). You can always resell them. They'll never go down in value. The yellow chips are made from the gold found in King Tut's tomb, the reds are made of angel's blood, the greens are extracted from Snoop Dogg's Maui Wowie, the whites are made from from the tusks of wooly mammoths, and the oranges are made from tiger tears. Oh, and they have little crowns on them. LITTLE FUCKING CROWNS!
    • Cons: You'll never want to buy anything else. Did I mention the price?
  6. CPC Customs:
    • Cost: Anywhere from $1.25 to $5 ea depending on your designs
    • Pros: They're customs!!! You decide how you want them to look. Your friends will be more impressed by these at home games (unless your design sucks). So many options to choose from. You can order whatever quantities you desire. High denoms cost the same as low denoms. You can add on to your set later if your game grows and not have to worry about finding chips that are hard to come by.
    • Cons: Often less valuable to other collectors if you ever decide to sell, but not necessarily so (if you create an epic HOF set of course). Some think they are slightly lower quality than Paulsons, although not by much in my book.
  7. Paulson Starbursts (or other solids):
    • Cost: About $1 to $2 ea
    • Pros: They're relatively cheap. Not too hard to find. Just have to keep looking on feeBay and ask around on here. You can mill them and relabel them with custom labels from @Gear. You can probably always sell them for at least what you bought them for, or at least close to it.
    • Cons: If you relabeled them, you'd have labels instead of inlays. Much more plain looking. No edge spots. Options are rather limited.
  8. Matsui Customs:
    • Don't know much about these. You'd have to look into them. Some here say they are slippery and don't stack well. I've never seen them in person.
    • Pros: They're customs
    • Cons: They're plastic
  9. Bud Jones Casino used:
    • Cost: $0.75 ea to $3 for most sets (others can be pricy)
    • Pros: You can resell them fairly easily
    • Cons: Not everyone likes them (I love them personally). They're plastic. Can be harder to find sometimes.
  10. BCC New or Used:
    • Cost: $1 to $3 ea for most sets
    • Pros: Great quality. On par with Paulsons. Strong resale value. Tremendous colors.
    • Cons: Limited options. Not everyone likes them. Harder to add on to your set later.
  11. Ceramic Chips
    • Meh... who cares
 
Last edited:
Nice list, but you left out my personal favorite.

9, Paulson mint/unused casino chips

I didn't wait for customs; I have a ton of ^these^ chips and am quite happy with my collection. Customs will get ordered eventually.

Also missed another good option:

10. Blue Chip Company (BCC) chips:

Lots of these chips out there in the wild, too. Many made with TRK colors.

Plus ceramics (custom and off-the-shelf), either full-face printed, or hybrids (with recessed center and laminated label). Good chips available at several price points, nearly all under $1/chip.
 
Last edited:
I'll add to the above post #37 as there is still one more option available: Real clay chips made by the Blue Chip Company and sold here:

http://www.holdempokerchips.com/Default.asp

Mardi Gras at 1.29 per chip and Samurai's at 1.39 per chip (although it looks like the $5's are gone). VERY good prices for clay chips with nice spots.

Good Luck
 
KingZilla said:
I'll add to the above post #37 as there is still one more option available: Real clay chips made by the Blue Chip Company and sold here:

http://www.holdempokerchips.com/Default.asp

Mardi Gras at 1.29 per chip and Samurai's at 1.39 per chip (although it looks like the $5's are gone). VERY good prices for clay chips with nice spots.

Good Luck
Click to expand...

Those Riverboat BCC's look pretty nice too. Although it's just a tourney set.
 
KingZilla said:
I'll add to the above post #37 as there is still one more option available: Real clay chips made by the Blue Chip Company and sold here:

http://www.holdempokerchips.com/Default.asp

Mardi Gras at 1.29 per chip and Samurai's at 1.39 per chip (although it looks like the $5's are gone). VERY good prices for clay chips with nice spots.

Good Luck
Click to expand...

Beware of the split spots. I bought a set and found the split spots on some denoms were something I simply couldn't deal with (Mardi Gras). Some people don't mind them. It absolutely was nails on a chalkboard for me.
 
ChaosRock said:
http://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/bcc-riverboat-web-mold-cash-set.5771/

A very small quantity of Riverboats were made for Michael Patton... I was fortunate enough to piece together this set... These chips are among the best handling chips I've ever felt...
Click to expand...

Wow, I love these. Not sure if I like the color combo on the $5s, but who cares. That set is fantastic. I love the web mold too. Might be my favorite mold outside of the scrown. Plus I love quarter pies. Epic set! I just might need to buy some of those Riverside tourney sets. But the quantities offered for the denoms still available are tilting me a bit.
 
wow @RainmanTrail thanks for the list! I won't quote reply everyone here but thanks for all the help and information. A lot to take in and a lot of reading to do. I do have a couple of n00b questions... Seen a lot of terminology I'm not used to seeing, probably due to never being on a poker forum and mainly playing online. Could someone define this list for me?

- Frac
- Quarter Pies
- Hundo (presumably a 100 chip)

Also, where is the best place to read about the pros and cons of different chip centers (is that what they're called?), e.g., inlay, hot stamp etc.

One again, you guys are awesome :D Enabling scoundrels, but awesome nonetheless.
 
- Frac = fractional, e.g., quarters or nickles. Anything lest than one unit of currency.
- Quarter-pies = a chip that is divided in fourths for spots, such as these: http://www.pokerchipforum.com/media/25-rinse.1761/
- Hundo - A chip with the denom of 100.

There's not really a place to read about pros and cons of the inlay/design types that I'm aware of. When it comes to inlays vs. hotstamps, the inlays typically last a little longer in better condition, but for home use, a freshly stamped compression clay chip will last just about as long as a inlaid chip. Both inlays and hot stamps will last longer than labels, though.
 
Rainman provided you with lots of good information. I would also suggest:

Check the classifieds - Sometimes you may find another member selling exactly what you are looking for at a great price, and they may even be based in the UK

I would not totally discount Ceramic chips. These can be beautiful when done right, and you can also do custom ceramics at a fraction of the price of custom clays. Sometimes it is a great starting point for learning the nuances of custom designs.
 
ssanel54 said:
Rainman provided you with lots of good information. I would also suggest:

Check the classifieds - Sometimes you may find another member selling exactly what you are looking for at a great price, and they may even be based in the UK

I would not totally discount Ceramic chips. These can be beautiful when done right, and you can also do custom ceramics at a fraction of the price of custom clays. Sometimes it is a great starting point for learning the nuances of custom designs.
Click to expand...


I agree with the ceramics, I personally really like them alot. Not Paulson/BCC/TRK/CPC love, those are the supermodels. Ceramics are like the girl next door, they are still wonderful and more likely within your reach.
 
derekdd23 said:
I agree with the ceramics, I personally really like them alot. Not Paulson/BCC/TRK/CPC love, those are the supermodels. Ceramics are like the girl next door, they are still wonderful and more likely within your reach.
Click to expand...

+1. We have some great vendors here that specialize in custom ceramics. And when done right, they look great.
 
To each his own. Yes, some people are ok with ceramics. Some probably even love them. If you've played with them, you likely already have an opinion one way or another. Personally, I can't stand them. I hate the feel, I hate how they stack, I hate the weight, I hate the sound, I hate the look, etc. It's like playing poker with little gerbil plates. I'd prefer to play with dice chips or honey roasted peanuts. But they're definitely a viable option for others.

For you, the best is to get a sample and see if you like them.
 
RainmanTrail said:
To each his own. Yes, some people are ok with ceramics. Some probably even love them. If you've played with them, you likely already have an opinion one way or another. Personally, I can't stand them. I hate the feel, I hate how they stack, I hate the weight, I hate the sound, I hate the look, etc. It's like playing poker with little gerbil plates. I'd prefer to play with dice chips or honey roasted peanuts. But they're definitely a viable option for others.

For you, the best is to get a sample and see if you like them.
Click to expand...

Yes, Samples is key. Ceramics will come in different shapes/sizes/finish etc. so not all of them are equal.

FWIW - you will probably get the same type of differing opinions with certain CPC molds, since not all of them stack, feel, look or handle the same way. Don't buy Horse Heads just because you like the way the FDL's feel.
 
RainmanTrail said:
To each his own. Yes, some people are ok with ceramics. Some probably even love them. If you've played with them, you likely already have an opinion one way or another. Personally, I can't stand them. I hate the feel, I hate how they stack, I hate the weight, I hate the sound, I hate the look, etc. It's like playing poker with little gerbil plates. I'd prefer to play with dice chips or honey roasted peanuts. But they're definitely a viable option for others.

For you, the best is to get a sample and see if you like them.
Click to expand...

For the most part, I don't like ceramics either. The only ceramics that I really liked were older Chipco chips without the texture. They stacked like bricks. Chipco no longer exists and I don't know if Palm Gaming (who bought them) can make chips exactly like that. Most home market ceramics I've played with handled just like dice chips, only with very nice graphics. Just my 2¢, my opinion only.
 
liftapint said:
Beware of the split spots. I bought a set and found the split spots on some denoms were something I simply couldn't deal with (Mardi Gras). Some people don't mind them. It absolutely was nails on a chalkboard for me.
Click to expand...

I don't mind "split" spots so much, to each his own. For those new to this, "split spots" are not physically split. It means the spot colors "squished" during the compression process and did not completely meet in the middle (when viewing the spot from the chip edge).

What I meant when I said "nice spots" is: Your getting brand new chips and with those spot configurations the price is fantastic compared to CPC customs with the same spots. Price out an exact copy of one of the chips over at CPC's website and you'll see how much that will cost, "split" or not.
 
Lots of good info here. Here is a more simple answer.

Dice chips- Seriously don't bother

Fake Clay- Nothing clay about these chips, typically bought in sets, but you usually can buy barrels of the chips as well. About 10-12 cents a chip. Some are better then others. Several local friend games I play in use these chips.

Injection-molded- plastic chips that look like china clay or real clay chips. .20 cents a chip These are not compression molded like China Clay or Real Clay chips.

China Clays- Compression molded like casino clay chips. Several styles to choose from. The best "value" (in my opinion) between something close to a casino style feel and price. Again there are differences and I would get samples. I personally have Pharaohs, my friend has the Dunes (not to be confused with the injected molded Dunes) and my FIL has the Desert Palms (not injection-molded). Great Value .30-.40 cents a chip.

Clay Chips. These are the best. Real casino chips.

ASM chips you can buy new for aprox $1.50 a chip. You can make your own custom set or buy "Key West" chips already designed.

Real out of production out of circulation Casino chips (several brands Paulson largely being considered the best). To buy as a set that someone has already collected $2-$3+ per chip.
 
It sounds like China Clay are the way to go for my first set, then when I've a better understanding of what I need I can go all out. I almost bought the Ascona chips before I found this place, are they any good? What type are they?
 
AdamAAAA said:
It sounds like China Clay are the way to go for my first set, then when I've a better understanding of what I need I can go all out. I almost bought the Ascona chips before I found this place, are they any good? What type are they?
Click to expand...

Ascona chips are a hybrid ceramic chip. Pretty high quality. Unique in that they have a recessed area that can take a label instead of dyeing it (as is the case with the rest of the face of ceramic chips). Most ceramics or ceramic hybrids have a completely flat face instead of a recessed area, and the complete design is dyed directly into/onto the chip.
 
AdamAAAA said:
It sounds like China Clay are the way to go for my first set, then when I've a better understanding of what I need I can go all out. I almost bought the Ascona chips before I found this place, are they any good? What type are they?
Click to expand...

It looks like to me those are ceramic or some ceramic hybrid. I left that group off my list. I don't know anything about them. I don't prefer ceramic chips. They would be very different then a china clay chip. Get samples. In no way am I suggesting they are "bad" or "cheap" they are more per chip then a china clay. If you like the looks I bet they are nice chips for the price.
 
I didn't wait for customs and didn't regret it.

I got samples of my primary choices at the time (ASM, BCC, Le Noir, PGI Private Cardroom, Chipco...)

I spent a lot of time with these chips in hand. Also a lot of time in the gallery threads, before I hired a chip artist (J5).

Researching what is right by you, your game, your budget is what's key. :)
 
Thanks guys.

I've searched for J5, presumably a member here? But cannot find his work anywhere.

I'll also draw up a list to get some samples. Although being in the UK I'm guessing this'll add up...
 
AdamAAAA said:
Thanks guys.

I've searched for J5, presumably a member here? But cannot find his work anywhere.

I'll also draw up a list to get some samples. Although being in the UK I'm guessing this'll add up...
Click to expand...
His forum name is Johnny5. More than half of the customs here are his work.
 
Is it possible to walk into at casino, let's say in Vegas, and buy som of their worn out or old chips? Like old tourney chips?
 

Create an account or login to comment

You must be a member in order to leave a comment

Create account

Create an account and join our community. It's easy!

Register

Log in

Already have an account? Log in here.

Similar threads

P
Poker Chip Buying Advice
Replies
5
Views
590
kkcc98
kkcc98
T
Craps Chips
Replies
3
Views
379
SetToBean
S
Moxie Mike
Do you care who you sell to?
2
Replies
34
Views
2K
MeridianFC
MeridianFC
brocck
The start to my House Mold cash set - need suggestions
Replies
8
Views
372
doublebooyah85
doublebooyah85
Booshme
Chip Breakdown for $2NL ----> $20NL, what do you guys think? 500-Chip Set with custom Denoms
Replies
9
Views
680
Darson
Darson
Back
Top Bottom