Need recommendation for custom chips for random game? (1 Viewer)

[p5woody]

I'm not sure where to post this, so mods please move if you think there is a better place.

Here is the situation. My wife's friend found out I design poker chips and she wants me to design a custom set of chips for her brother. Here is the issue, she knows nothing about poker chips or poker. All she knows is he likes to play cards and is interested in Texas Hold'em. He doesn't have a game or attend any games as far as she knows, so I don't know how much he plays. They play when the family gets together, but they don't play for real money. (I know not a lot of information to go on)

First question is what chips to use:
I showed her a few chips and she really likes Sun-Fly hybrids 39mm. If I go this route, Sun-Fly minimums are 100/chip design. If I add this onto another order, I might be able to get around the minimums. FYI - I steered her away from China Clay chips because I don't think they will take the abuse from non-poker players, kids, wood table, etc. Should I push her toward some type of cheap slugged chip that I can just add a sticker? I haven't looked at slugged chips in a long time, any recommendations?

After chips are picked, how many, what colors, denominations etc...
My first thought was to get a 500 chip set with no denominations, (150,150,100,100). Would this give him the most flexibility not know anything about what type of games he will be playing?

Another option:
500 chips with denominations of 1,5,25,100. This could then be used for cash game (1¢,5¢,25¢,100¢), (25¢,$1,$5,), ($1,$5,$25,$100), all chips the same, or they could come up with some type of tournament structure.

As far as colors white, red, green, black?

Thoughts?

 

[trigs]

I'm assuming this is a surprise and you can't talk to the guy about what he likes or is interested in?

 

[p5woody]

I'm assuming this is a surprise and you can't talk to the guy about what he likes or is interested in?

Yep, it is a surprise. I suggested she talk to his wife to get more details but she seemed hesitant to do that. No idea of family dynamics and don't really want to know.

 

[1A25R]

300 NVC chips in 3 different colors?



maybe the dual use poker chip / game token is also a good idea specially if he is not that much into poker

A set of NVC is something that i will add to my collection since i saw those:

 

[detroitdad]

Mountain Top Cash set? I think there is a set for sale. Easy peasy

 

[p5woody]

Mountain Top Cash set? I think there is a set for sale. Easy peasy

The issue is she wants a custom label, not sure she would be willing to pay for a Mountain Top set and the cost to replace the labels.

 

[trever]

Did she have a budget in mind?
I'd vote 500 chips, 4 colors, non-denom. 2×100, 2×150.

 

[mummel]

If she doesnt know anything about poker chips, she wont know the diffs between a slug and a Paulson. What's the husbands budget?

My Milanos look basically new. They are TOUGH and have held up brilliantly. You could do Milano blanks + custom labels if you're on a budget.

Otherwise the new CC Royals set looks pretty nice too if you want to step it up, June/July delivery? (but I dont know about durability, all I can add is that my Milanos are bullet proof).

 

[p5woody]

Did she have a budget in mind?
I'd vote 500 chips, 4 colors, non-denom. 2×100, 2×150.

I know she isn't rich and I think she tends to spend more money then she has so trying to keep cost as low as possible for her.

 

[Irish]

If she liked the sun-fly hybrids, maybe look into the secret menu deal that ABC currently has going for the semi-custom ceramics? Too pricey?

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/secret-menu-item-group-buy-through-2-15-19.37064/

Unless she's looking for something nicer, I'd say get one of the Claysmith-type blanks like the 12 Stripe /Triangle and Stick at Discount Casino Gear or blank Milanos/Majestics from Apache. I believe the first two have metal inserts if breakage is a concern:

(damage tests start around 4:45 - RIP Barry )

If they'll truly be used more like hockey pucks, the slugged 8 striped plastic blanks are practically indestructible, and the label covers 90% of the face so the custom design would be prominent. When my group started playing, we played for a while with these before I upgraded, they're obviously not the greatest chips but they work and IMHO are an upgrade over dice chips. It's been a while since I've ordered from them but in the past I recall Discount Casino Gear had some of the best prices on the lower end chips.

 

[p5woody]

If she doesnt know anything about poker chips, she wont know the diffs between a slug and a Paulson. What's the husbands budget?

My Milanos look basically new. They are TOUGH and have held up brilliantly. You could do Milano blanks + custom labels if you're on a budget.

Otherwise the new CC Royals set looks pretty nice too if you want to step it up, June/July delivery? (but I dont know about durability, all I can add is that my Milanos are bullet proof).

She is divorced so no husband to deal with. I will have to check into Milano blanks.

 

[mummel]

She is divorced so no husband to deal with. I will have to check into Milano blanks.

Yeah I would seriously consider them. Affordable, bullet proof. Great for a newbie.

To add, if I were doing it over again and going with blanks + labels, the $10 blue, $1 white $5 red & green $25 chips are the sexiest. You could do a nice set with these and I think a lighter label (vs black) would work well. I would avoid the pink $5k. I only have one barrel but it faded (and I read this was an issue with the batches ~2 years back?) I believe the manufacturing problem has been resolved, but the pink isnt the sexiest chip either so you probably wont have to worry about it.

 

[Beakertwang]

Since he doesn’t currently have a game, and they don’t play for real money anyway, I would just go with standard $1-$100 (maybe a few $500, just because they look cool).

If his only chip experience has been dice chips or worse, a cool custom label on the triangle-stick sluggos will seem like luxury chips.

Or, maybe you can scrape together a set of 8v’s.

 

[joepro]

Any China clay or ceramic would be great. Gene at ABC is amazing and will work with your budget.

I think you need to find a theme that means something special to the recipient. That is the best way to make it a very special gift and a truly custom set. Ceramics also offer the most flexible art possibilities as you know. Post pics!

 

[BGinGA]

I'd go with five chips: 1, 5, 25, 100, and no-denom.

Can be used as-is for no-value tourney chips (T.25 / T1 / T5 / T25 / T100 / T500), as dollars for cash chips (25c / $1 / $5 / $25 / $100), or as pennies for cash chips (1c / 5c / 25c / $1.00 / $5), with options on where you use the no-denom chip.

Pretty flexible to match whatever he's likely to want to do with the set: T.25-, T1- or T5-base tournaments, or 1c/2c, 5c/10c, 10c/25c, 25c/50c, 50c/$1, $1/$1, and $1/$2 cash games.

600 chips total:
125 x no-denom (blue)
125 x 1 (white)
125 x 5 (red)
125 x 25 (green)
100 x 100 (black)

As much as I like hybrids, I think I'd recommend something cheaper and more readily available (for cost and expansion reasons). I'd also steer away from true clays, china clays, and ceramics, as being either too costly or too fragile.

Several reasonably-decent slugged chips in the 15c/chip range could be fitted with custom labels (sword & spade mold, stitch mold, stick & triangle mold), and would create a bullet-proof set that could be stored/used anywhere without damage.

39mm hybrids would be somewhat similarily priced or maybe slightly higher, if bundled with another group buy order (but would be a more difficult process to add onto the set in the future).

 

[Justin Olson]

Would actually recommend lucky horseshoe or Monaco casino for super cheap from discount poker with BG’s breakdown
Code newyear10 through 28th

Also got a shuffle stack of outlaws and those are super solid as well. Only negative is readability but you would fix that with relabel

 

[allforcharity]

I've got a few 6-person tourney sets (200 chips each) of THC solids for $130 each. Can add unlaminated labels to them for $40 a set from @Gear.

 

[Kid_Eastwood]

If the guy does not play for real money, I think it’s better to give him a tournament set.

Tournament without real money can - maybe - still be played as a kind of « board game ». There is a winner at the end.

Cash game without real money does not make any sense to me...

 

[Darson]

I would seriously check on budget before deciding which way you go. I have a bunch of friends who will happily drop $100 a night playing poker but balk at the idea of spending $200 on 500 chips.

 

[ChipFinderSK]

I'd go with five chips: 1, 5, 25, 100, and no-denom.

Can be used as-is for no-value tourney chips (T.25 / T1 / T5 / T25 / T100 / T500), as dollars for cash chips (25c / $1 / $5 / $25 / $100), or as pennies for cash chips (1c / 5c / 25c / $1.00 / $5), with options on where you use the no-denom chip.

Pretty flexible to match whatever he's likely to want to do with the set: T.25-, T1- or T5-base tournaments, or 1c/2c, 5c/10c, 10c/25c, 25c/50c, 50c/$1, $1/$1, and $1/$2 cash games.

600 chips total:
125 x no-denom (blue)
125 x 1 (white)
125 x 5 (red)
125 x 25 (green)
100 x 100 (black)

I agree with this chip breakdown...I think novice players appreciate having chip denominations, and having extra no-denom chips could cover any fracs, if necessary.

Also, if price is a big factor, I'd say used ceramics or slugged plastic. Plenty of ceramic options in the PCF Classifieds. There's also a slugged plastic called "Desert Heat" that looks good - I almost bought that set for myself before I found this site.

 

[Justin Olson]

Also, if price is a big factor, I'd say used ceramics or slugged plastic. Plenty of ceramic options in the PCF Classifieds. There's also a slugged plastic called "Desert Heat" that looks good - I almost bought that set for myself before I found this site.

if i would not have ordered samples i would have went with those, however after touching them they moved way way down the list

 

[Steamtrain]

Putting his name on the chip should cover the custom part of the design.