Any recommendations of where to start?
What exactly are you trying to accomplish? Do you have a budget? Tournaments, cash games or both?
My advice is to look through the 'media' section of PCF and browse the collections people have posted over the years. See what catches your eye. I'd also recommend you look at the classifieds and
eBay to see what's available and to get a feel for pricing.
Here's another thread you might find useful:
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/rule-of-thumb-for-to-spend-on-poker-chips.100452/post-2079513
I'm going to give mine a good cleaning and oiling and see how they feel after. Probably still pick up some samples in the process. My current chips are these
https://chipcave.com/products/las-vegas-poker-chips
And I made my own set with 1s, 5s, 10s, and 25s.
These aren't clay chips. They're a plastic composite with a metal slug embedded for weight. They don't need to be cleaned right away (unless they're coated in Cheeto dust or something) and oiling would be bad. Definitely don't oil them.
I don't know if where your chipping journey will take you, but it will probably go something like this (don't worry if this doesn't all make sense today - it will someday) (repost):
Discovers PCF.
Sets a budget.
Finds something suitable within that budget.
Makes a purchase.
Keeps browsing PCF (
this is where people really get in trouble).
Buys more chips as a project.
Realizes spouse does not monitor the PayPal account or get notifications about transactions.
Sells chips to buy chips.
Sells chips to buy more chips.
Gets used to odd nomenclature like 'murder' and 'watermelons'.
Discovers 'cards mold'.
Keeps hearing about this mysterious woman named 'Tina'.
Uses the PCF search function to research 'Tina'.
Runs out of room to store poker chips.
Realizes they have many unfinished 'projects'.
Sells abandoned 'project' chips to buy more chips.
Realizes they don't have a 'limit' set.
Immediately rationally concludes that almost no one needs a 'limit' set.
Starts assembling a 'limit' set.
Asks around to find out if anyone like to play limit.
Discovers that there's a PCF vendor that sells custom table layouts.
Discovers that there's a PCF vendor that sells custom dice.
Immediately rationally concludes they have no need or use for dice at all, let alone custom ones.
Buys custom dice.
Starts feeling 'complete'.
Then meets
@Ben8257 &
@Windwalker and realizes they need to up their game.
Sells everything to buy 'Boat chips'.
Sells 'Boat chips' to buy 'Tiger chips'.
Finally feels up to speed as a rank and file member of PCF.