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Used Paulsons a worthwhile investment? (3 Viewers)

ttt3714 said:
Hi guys,

New to this forum and spent the last couple of days going down a deep rabbit hole and came out wanting to purchase Paulson chips. I'm prepared to pay the hefty prices, but the idea of buying used chips has been bothering me a bit. The only new Paulson chips I could find on the internet were Tiger Palace chips that were ridiculously expensive ($8k for a set), so my only realistic option is to buy used ones. Was hoping people could share their experiences purchasing used Paulsons and how they looked / felt (though I'm sure it depends on the particular chip set) Thanks!
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Just have fun with it baby! I have never had a set I wasn't willing to play. I have them because I love them. The way they feel, sound, stack, look, sharing them with others, etc. Why wouldn't I want to spend as much time with them as possible?

I don't think of them as investments.

The best advice I can give you is: don't go into debt for poker chips. Buy what you can afford. Upgrade them when you can. Try different sets. Stay in budget so you feel peaceful when using them :)

Have fun!

JB
 
bigblind said:
Poker chips are meant to be used.
Poker chips are NOT meant to be an investment or retirement account
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I think it was just a bad choice of words from the OP and from the overall tone I think he was just wondering if he could potentially get his money back if he decided to upgrade chips. Essentially, "would used/worn casino chips be worth anything in 5-10 years or should I look at them as a sunk cost?"?

Personally, I don't view poker chips as a strict investment as they're too heavy and bulky and need to be stored somewhere - the real benefit is if you like collecting or playing them, then you just might have a lucky windfall when you decide to sell. If not, no big deal and true collectors get intrinsic value out of owning them.

You're not investing for money, you're investing in beauty & quality for the hobby you love.
 
Kam said:
I’m not a fan of chips this used, but they shuffle like butter once cleaned up.
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Granted, but they're also probably only a couple of steps away from butter at that point. :)
 
I would consider some chips and sets “stores of value”. What that value is varies greatly, but at least it’s tangible.

Somebody should make a “Tangibles” label like Terribles.
 
Gus said:
Current Paulson used sets in the classifieds linked below.

There's usually 5-10 great Paulson sets for sale here in the classifieds of varying condition. Some sets are extremely desirable for obscure reasons that don't make sense to newcomers (including myself often!). Condition, provenance, beauty of the colors or inlays, and other factors all impact price.

If you bought any of these sets, played with them for a few months, and decided to sell you'd almost certainly get 80% of your money back. You can sit on the sidelines forever if that's your preference - lots to learn, special deals may arise if you're quick to click, etc... Or you can buy a set you like, try it out and hopefully keep it for years or sadly put it back on the market.

600 chips for $2250 (great condition)
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/terrible’s-st-joseph-cash-set-600-count.136230/#post-2775180

640 chips for $2200
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/am-flagship-cash-set-640-2-099-shipped-update-8-28-25.132636/

940 chips for $6900
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/940-chip-lake-elsinore-set.136245/

--

just sold, but much cheaper 500 chips for $525
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/thre...-paulson-rhc-525-shipped.136210/#post-2774944
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900 excellent for $2900 including extras
https://the-chip-vault.myshopify.com/products/complete-900pc-paulson-terribles-poker-chip-set
 
CraigT78 said:
Unless you overpay for a crap set, you'll be basically renting them as long as you have them.
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The real trick is having that rent on hand, and if you can manage to sack away a couple months.
 
I love Paulson chips but I don't see them as investment. It's a great hobby though!
 
ttt3714 said:
Hi guys,

New to this forum and spent the last couple of days going down a deep rabbit hole and came out wanting to purchase Paulson chips. I'm prepared to pay the hefty prices, but the idea of buying used chips has been bothering me a bit. The only new Paulson chips I could find on the internet were Tiger Palace chips that were ridiculously expensive ($8k for a set), so my only realistic option is to buy used ones. Was hoping people could share their experiences purchasing used Paulsons and how they looked / felt (though I'm sure it depends on the particular chip set) Thanks!
Click to expand...
I am going to honest I was originally on the fence with Paulson chips. The price really is the scary part. I feel Paulsns are more like art than chips and trust me we are all critics in different ways. I’d start with samples like I did.

upNdown said:
Yes, I’d 100 percent rather Key Wests than casino-worn, unleaded RHCs. But as always, get samples.
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Comment chain but yea my friend swears on his life for those chips.
 
Definitely not an investment. They will likely hold their value. For an investment go buy some VOO and get 8%-10% compounding.
 
Hi Everyone, newer member here and learning a lot about poker chips.

Looking for some opinions on is it worth while to invest into a Paulson set or should i steer towards a ceramic or tina set? looking to build a cash game set.
 
Nickyboom said:
Hi Everyone, newer member here and learning a lot about poker chips.

Looking for some opinions on is it worth while to invest into a Paulson set or should i steer towards a ceramic or tina set? looking to build a cash game set.
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Neither are a good investment
 
Nickyboom said:
Looking for some opinions on is it worth while to invest into a Paulson set or should i steer towards a ceramic or tina set? looking to build a cash game set.
Click to expand...
If you are looking for chips to play poker with you should treat the chips as an expense for your hobby, not as an investment.

The value of poker chips is not guaranteed, and if you wanted to treat them as investment nevertheless, you would not be able to play with them. The value a chip depends on its condition, and playing will degrade them. Slowly, of course, but they will degrade and thus decrease in value.

The options you mention are all quite different. Tina's are a cheap option that many users on this forum would recommend in its price range. If you are willing to spend more, you could of course get a Paulson set, but your buying options are limited to what you'll find on the market; getting the set you want might take a lot of time and dedication. Or you could get a custom set made by CPC. What kind of chips you should get depends on your personal preferences and the money you are willing to spend.
 
OutOfTown said:
If you are looking for chips to play poker with you should treat the chips as an expense for your hobby, not as an investment.

The value of poker chips is not guaranteed, and if you wanted to treat them as investment nevertheless, you would not be able to play with them. The value a chip depends on its condition, and playing will degrade them. Slowly, of course, but they will degrade and thus decrease in value.

The options you mention are all quite different. Tina's are a cheap option that many users on this forum would recommend in its price range. If you are willing to spend more, you could of course get a Paulson set, but your buying options are limited to what you'll find on the market; getting the set you want might take a lot of time and dedication. Or you could get a custom set made by CPC. What kind of chips you should get depends on your personal preferences and the money you are willing to spend.
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thanks for breakdown and info. I guess i should of used a different word than "invest". I'm looking for a nice chip with good feel and that would last for years to come. I do not host any games currently but play once a month or so at friends places (losing money of course but learning the game as i go). i would like to host a game in future but don't have a set currently. One of my friends loves Paulson chips and has a nice set and another has a set of tina which he thinks are great. If i understand correctly it will depend on my budget and amount of play they will see to determine what chips i should go with?
 
doublebooyah85 said:
Neither are a good investment
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yea i guess i should have used a different word than invest. Looking for a nice chip with good feel and that would last for years to come. the chips wont see many games but my friends who i play with one has paulson and the other has tinas. both really enjoy their chips. I guess my decision will be based on budget and amount of play that the chips will see?
 
Nickyboom said:
If i understand correctly it will depend on my budget and amount of play they will see to determine what chips i should go with?
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Don’t make it sound so formulaic.
“The amount of play they’ll see” is a non factor for 90% of people. You’ve never hosted a game. The odds of you becoming a host and hosting enough games to actually put noticeable wear on chips are so slim.
You can spend $100 or $1,000, or $10,000 or more. It’s up to you and it really doesn’t matter. Learn what chips are actually worth (so you don’t get ripped off) and then spend whatever you decide you want to spend on whatever feels good to you.
 
DrStrange said:
Chips aren't an investment; they are a collectable.

I have been around long enough to see some really big swings in prices. Huge upswings followed by crushing down swings followed by breathtaking gains.

The market is fickle. Remember how coin-in-center chips were the rage? The Faux clay nation? Prices are hugely dependent on a small number of buyer/sellers. Fads come and go. Perhaps some things hold value. There are some vintage Vegas chips that are desirable to a wider audience vs. the NAGB chip sets. Big bucks for a vs tropicana set or a golden Nugget house mold might be "investment grade" Still could lose money though.

The market is thin. There are 16K members here. When bad times come, the buyers often don't have money. Some of the prices from 2009 - 2011 are exceptionally low. we might look back at 2023-2025 as "too high" Or maybe not.

Let's take another angle. You need to put hands on other types of chips. There are more options than Paulson chips. Some people are solidly sold on Paulsons. Others like Bud Jones or other sorts of plastic chips. Tina products get some bad press, but the price point for custom tina chips is remarkable. I can make a good case for getting custom Tinas rather than vintage Paulsons

OP has been a member less than a week. WAY too soon to make informed choices. Sure, if dropping $10,000 on a set you'll never use and never sell works for you then go for it.

GET SAMPLES is outstanding advice for new chippers. Go to a meet-up. Go to Vegas and prowl around - there are a lot of different styles of chips in play. You will have opinions. Make informed choices. Don't worry so much about "investment" or getting your money back. Focus on getting the best bang for your buck - what makes you happy when you host a game.

Welcome! Make sure you have a good time -=- DrStrange
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The Oracle has spoken. Again.

Samples. Samples. Samples.

Lots of similar threads to this one, also, so spend another three weeks abusing that search function.
 
upNdown said:
Don’t make it sound so formulaic.
“The amount of play they’ll see” is a non factor for 90% of people. You’ve never hosted a game. The odds of you becoming a host and hosting enough games to actually put noticeable wear on chips are so slim.
You can spend $100 or $1,000, or $10,000 or more. It’s up to you and it really doesn’t matter. Learn what chips are actually worth (so you don’t get ripped off) and then spend whatever you decide you want to spend on whatever feels good to you.
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ok this is great info. Appreciate it. I will have to dig in more and do some more research on chips! thanks again
 
Nickyboom said:
ok thanks, any recommendations on where to find samples? check marketplace on this site?
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