China Clay Poker Chip Cash Set Comparison Picture (1 Viewer)

BirdCage

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I was warned! Less than a week as a new forum member and I already purchased a China Clay (CC) chip set via this forum. There is so much good information already on CC sets, but I thought I'd add the one thing that helped push me over the edge and commit to a style. It's a picture that only shows the actual chips/colors that would be in the cash set that I'd be using. Basically, 25 cent, $1, $5, $20 or $25, and $100 chips. From what I've read, all are quite similar in price, quality and feel, so for me, the next most important thing was the look.

I created a cut and pasted up image for this cash set with all available CC's from Apache Poker Chips. In the end, I do not prefer white $1 chips, so I went with the Dunes. I even found a used set with the $20 chip (vs $25 chip) whose color I slightly prefer as well. I hope this can help others! All are really nice. Enjoy.

P.S. It is possible to use custom labels, but that adds significant cost and labor to the purchase.

China Clay cash set options.jpg
 
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From what I've read, all are quite similar in price, quality and feel....
In my (limited) experience, not so much. There is a real difference between the feel and stackability of Royals and most other CC's, although the Royals are a bit more expensive.

... so for me, the next most important thing was the look.
How you feel about the chips is probably the most important factor. If you are happy, then it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.

Having said that, you've already pulled the trigger, so suggesting that you get your hands on some samples is a bit too late (for this purchase anyways). But the first rule here is always "Get Samples".

I've been fortunate to be able to play with a whole bunch of different sets belonging to PCFers in my area, and also bought a sample set that contained 8 or 9 different options, from slugged plastic through Pharaohs/Majestics (CC), Tiki Kings and other ceramics all the way to Paulson Elites and CPC. It definitely changed my opinion on two or three different sets that I was planning to buy (but didn't, based on the samples).

For your next purchase (and there will be one - LOL), maybe try to connect with a few PCF members in your area and see if you can borrow shuffle stacks or otherwise play with a few different sets, and make your decision from there.

Lastly, welcome to the forum! And enjoy the Dunes! Be sure to post some pics once they arrive.
 
I agree with rule one, getting samples. I did receive samples from Claysmith Gaming that included the Milano, which I really liked. However, for me, color range was more important than feel slightly better or worse than the Milano. Plus I didn’t want to host another striped dice chip poker night.

There is in fact something about each style pictured that I prefer over the others. Color (no white chips) won the day.

Priorities will vary by user!
 
Plus I didn’t want to host another striped dice chip poker night.
^ +100 !!!! The Dunes are definitely a step up, so congrats!

I'm looking forward to your future post when you show off your beautiful new Paulson set, and say " I didn’t want to host another striped dice China Clay chip poker night". It's only a matter of time... ;)
 
I love the lingua "stackability".... That is a big word...
 
Thanks for this. Majestics are so pretty the 25 cent pink is awesome
 
Thanks for the info, I some how ended up on this forum in my search for my first poker chip cash set. I have spent the last few days deciding trying ti decide between (Dunes, Milanos, or Majestic)
 
Thanks for the info, I some how ended up on this forum in my search for my first poker chip cash set. I have spent the last few days deciding trying ti decide between (Dunes, Milanos, or Majestic)
Don't rush into it. Chips will be there, I know the rush you want to feel getting them in your hands. Buttttt as the market is flooded with good chips, get some samples of Clay's. CCs will work but will be short lived and when you go to resell them you might struggle getting half what you paid. Clay's are like renting chips. What you paid, usually is what you can sell or get even more. (Not always but typically) most of us start with CC and find ourselves hanging here wanting more. If you saved all the CC money you can fund a well planned chip breakdown for a little more.
 
Also there might be differences in durability... I've Seen on this forum china clay chips wear very badly.
 
Don't rush into it. Chips will be there, I know the rush you want to feel getting them in your hands. Buttttt as the market is flooded with good chips, get some samples of Clay's. CCs will work but will be short lived and when you go to resell them you might struggle getting half what you paid. Clay's are like renting chips. What you paid, usually is what you can sell or get even more. (Not always but typically) most of us start with CC and find ourselves hanging here wanting more. If you saved all the CC money you can fund a well planned chip breakdown for a little more.

10000000000000000% cosign this! I've lived out this exact scenario!
 
Glad to see some interest in CCs. Sometimes they are referred to as starter sets or cheap since some people spend an insane amount of money on better chips. Yes, there is a big difference between Paulson's and CC's, but the reality is that 98% of poker players have and would play with dice chips, so these CC's are super nice to them (if they notice at all). I believe these CC's are the "happy medium" of wonderful/expensive and plain/cheap. I run Milano's for tournaments, and Pharoah's for cash games, and have no intention of upgrading....except for maybe those new Royals...
 
Yes, there is a big difference between Paulson's and CC's, but the reality is that 98% of poker players have and would play with dice chips, so these CC's are super nice to them (if they notice at all).

Exactly.

Sometimes you have to crawl before you walk. The cost multiple to acquire top-shelf chips is staggering compared to basic chips.

Financially, it’s not justifiable if you compare the purchase to your poker winnings over a year or more (for most people, i.e., .25/.50 NLHE). For some, it may be equivalent to a month of rent or a car payment.

500 new striped dice chips start at $25
500 new CC chips start at $170
500 average condition Paulson chips start at $500
500 excellent Paulson chips start around $1000 and go way up

7x the cost to move up to CCs is one thing, 20x to 40x to secure Paulsons may very well require extreme lust or addiction or excessive disposable income!

(P.S. Not saying I won’t do it, but more time is needed.)
 
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Sometimes you have to crawl before you walk. The cost multiple to acquire top-shelf chips is a staggering compared to basic chips.

Financially, it’s not justifiable if you compare the purchase to your poker winnings over a year or more (for most people, i.e., .25/.50 NLHE). For some, it may be equivalent to a month of rent or a car payment.

500 new striped dice chips start at $25
500 new CC chips start at $170
500 average condition Paulson chips start at $500
500 excellent Paulson chips start around $1000 and go way up

7x the cost to move up to CCs is one thing, 20x to 40x to secure Paulsons may very well require extreme lust or addiction or excessive disposable income!

(P.S. Not saying I won’t do it, but more time is needed.)
I agree Paulsons can get expensive when new to chips. What I was trying to explain and maybe failed is the loan aspect.

Let's use the car anology here. You need a car to get to work but don't want or have the money to buy a luxury car. You don't want the lowest of the low beater (dice chips), so you eyeball $2000 Toyota that has 300k miles on it. You drive it for 3 months and decide let's go ahead and upgrade to a $5000 car now (casino used Paulsons). So the first step is selling your $2k car that is now only worth $1k and may take months to even sell.

What I'm suggesting is taking your time, read up on set breakdowns. You probably think you need more chips than you actually do. I have a mixed Paulson set. So you can start with buying just one denomination at a time. Build funds and buy a little more. All my chips besides my Huntington Park $20s were all 70¢-95¢.
IMG_20191129_200858576.jpg
 
I’m in agreement with @toynoob here.

For example: My first decent set of chips were China Clay Dunes. I spent easily over $300 on the set then found a decent mixed set of Paulsons (I think from noob actually) for a little over $300. I eventually sold those at cost to build my current Horseshoe Cleveland set, but I cant move these Dunes Chips unless I take a significant loss. They will just sit in my chip cabinet for years to come lol.

My suggestion would be to search the classifieds or check the vendor section for chips if you want a nice quality set of chips. However, if you are sold on wanting China Clays, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that either. You could probably find a nice used set in the classifieds for much less than the .42 cents per chip that you will pay anywhere else to get them new.
 
I agree with most points and see positives in each opinion.

However in real terms, .42 cent CCs depreciating to .32 cents (I just bought mine used) is a $50 loss for a 500 chip set. And presumably some value was extracted by using the chips for some time.

Tying up $1000 in poker chips is not a rational justification for saving $50. It also assumes that you have a spare grand for poker chips and you’re comfortable with others handling them with pepperoni pizza greased fingers. (Does that count as oiling your chips?!)

Five shares of Apple was $1000 only 9 months ago and is now worth over $1500. Putting the spare grand toward revolving debt could save hundreds per year.

Stating that Paulsons are the best and don’t depreciate stands on its own. Adults will prioritize how they fulfill their wants.
 
I agree with most points and see positives in each opinion.

However in real terms, .42 cent CCs depreciating to .32 cents (I just bought mine used) is a $50 loss for a 500 chip set. And presumably some value was extracted by using the chips for some time.

Tying up $1000 in poker chips is not a rational justification for saving $50. It also assumes that you have a spare grand for poker chips and you’re comfortable with others handling them with pepperoni pizza greased fingers. (Does that count as oiling your chips?!)

Five shares of Apple was $1000 only 9 months ago and is now worth over $1500. Putting the spare grand toward revolving debt could save hundreds per year.

Stating that Paulsons are the best and don’t depreciate stands on its own. Adults will prioritize how they fulfill their wants.
I withdraw all my comments in order to help, you clearly know what is best for you. Enjoy your CCs.
 
Tying up $1000 in poker chips is not a rational justification for saving $50. It also assumes that you have a spare grand for poker chips and you’re comfortable with others handling them with pepperoni pizza greased fingers. (Does that count as oiling your chips?!)

I keep moist towelettes, Purell hand wipes, and hand sanitizer on deck for this very reason. I openly tell my players that I like my chips more then them and they need to respect them lol, don't care about anyone's feelings when it comes to my babies. They've learned quickly that food on the table is also a no go so when we eat we usually take a small break or people will eat away from the table and take a few hands off. It's just about setting expectations for your group. Our games are unraked and have no seat fees or anything so people need to put some respeck on my stuffs. :ROFL: :ROFLMAO:
 
Don't rush into it. Chips will be there, I know the rush you want to feel getting them in your hands. Buttttt as the market is flooded with good chips, get some samples of Clay's. CCs will work but will be short lived and when you go to resell them you might struggle getting half what you paid. Clay's are like renting chips. What you paid, usually is what you can sell or get even more. (Not always but typically) most of us start with CC and find ourselves hanging here wanting more. If you saved all the CC money you can fund a well planned chip breakdown for a little more.

Thanks for the advice, I was definitely feel like I was rushing myself to make a decision ASAP so I can get my hands on some chips to play with. I started trying to do research Paulson's and felt like I went down rabbit hole. I spent probably a good 3-4 hours doing research and somehow further away from making a purchase then when i started.

After reading through some of the comments on this thread, I think I am leaning towards getting a smaller but nicer set from the classifieds section which I can slowly build it into a larger set.

I know its probably going to vary from chip to chip, but about how much would be reasonable for used mixed Paulson set or per chip?
 
I agree with most points and see positives in each opinion.

However in real terms, .42 cent CCs depreciating to .32 cents (I just bought mine used) is a $50 loss for a 500 chip set. And presumably some value was extracted by using the chips for some time.

Tying up $1000 in poker chips is not a rational justification for saving $50. It also assumes that you have a spare grand for poker chips and you’re comfortable with others handling them with pepperoni pizza greased fingers. (Does that count as oiling your chips?!)

Five shares of Apple was $1000 only 9 months ago and is now worth over $1500. Putting the spare grand toward revolving debt could save hundreds per year.

Stating that Paulsons are the best and don’t depreciate stands on its own. Adults will prioritize how they fulfill their wants.

I get where you're coming from (albeit, your math may be a little off). Consider this, if you are collecting poker chips, you should be only utilizing disposable income as this should be a hobby and not a business venture. If your hobby is investing, then clearly taking your money and investing in Apple is the correct answer. Some of the individuals on this forum collect chips and their disposable income allows them to spend more than others. If you get nothing out of owning a nice set of Paulsons, then maybe the CC's are the way to go for you.

I think the key underlying factor is doing what you want to do and being happy with your decision. Ultimately, the advice here is given with the assumption that you do want to spend some of your disposable in chips. Everyone is trying to offer you an option to best spend whatever disposable income you decide to put into this hobby.

Good Luck in your search, and I hope you make a decision that satisfies your needs and makes you happy.
 
As a first time buyer myself, I realized there are many things to take into account. I think you have to balance your taste vs. what you think will be best for the game you are running. For example I bought samples of both dunes and milanos and while I personally liked the look of the dunes better, I felt like the milanos were a little more practical being that they are slightly cheaper and have larger, easier to read denominations. They are also readily available so I know if I ever need to buy more chips for my game a couple of years from now they won’t be discontinued most likely. I would have preferred if the $1 milanos were not white since I can forsee them becoming grimey pretty easily but they are fine for now.
 
I felt like the milanos were a little more practical being that they are slightly cheaper and have larger, easier to read denominations. They are also readily available so I know if I ever need to buy more chips for my game a couple of years from now they won’t be discontinued most likely. I would have preferred if the $1 milanos were not white since I can forsee them becoming grimey pretty easily but they are fine for now.
Totally agree, but for me it was the $1 color and a readily available used Dunes set that flipped the script. I also love the brown .25 Milano and that they have 1” labels vs. 1 1/16” (I believe it is) which gives you more China Clay to see and feel. All the China Clays are winners. At least I have Milano samples.

Welcome to the forum (first time I’ve said that on PCF!) and enjoy plus good luck at poker.
 
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500 new striped dice chips start at $25
500 new CC chips start at $170
500 average condition Paulson chips start at $500
500 excellent Paulson chips start around $1000 and go way up
One viable option so far overlooked in this thread is ceramic hybrids -- printed ceramic blanks with a center recess containing a laminated high-quality printed label.

Hybrids are competitively priced, are much more durable than china clays, provide nearly unlimited custom design options with much more vibrant colors and spot options than china clays, offer superior handling characteristics, and tend to hold resale value much better than china clays (pending design). Prices are roughly 70c per chip for either stock or custom chips -- I highly recommend the 43mm chips with 25mm recess. Group buy pricing can often be less expensive; a 500-chip set for $300 is not uncommon.

I am primarily a high-end mint clay set collector (Paulson, TRK, BCC, CPC), although I've owned -- and since sold for a loss -- three large sets of china clay chips (Pharaoh's Club, CPS, semi-customs).

However, I do currently have two sets of 43mm hybrids, with plans for at least one more. The only hybrid set I've sold (Boardwalks) was sold for a profit. I'm a hard-core clay guy, but I'd much rather play with new hybrids than worn/used clay chips or new china clay chips (which typically emulate the condition of worn clay chips), and their value for price simply cannot be beat by anything else on the market today.

The only recommendation I can make for china clay chips is to buy a used set, and let somebody else take the depreciation hit.

Hybrids are definitely worth looking into, however. Get samples, and enjoy the ride.
 
I agree with most points and see positives in each opinion.

However in real terms, .42 cent CCs depreciating to .32 cents (I just bought mine used) is a $50 loss for a 500 chip set. And presumably some value was extracted by using the chips for some time.

Tying up $1000 in poker chips is not a rational justification for saving $50. It also assumes that you have a spare grand for poker chips and you’re comfortable with others handling them with pepperoni pizza greased fingers. (Does that count as oiling your chips?!)

Five shares of Apple was $1000 only 9 months ago and is now worth over $1500. Putting the spare grand toward revolving debt could save hundreds per year.

Stating that Paulsons are the best and don’t depreciate stands on its own. Adults will prioritize how they fulfill their wants.

I feel exactly the same. That’s why I ended up with a big set of Royals. Best value chip out there IMO. I love em.
 
In the end, I do not prefer white $1 chips, so I went with the Dunes.

That's one of the reasons that my first set which took me down the rabbit hole were the ceramic Nevada Jack's. Their $1 chip is a really beautiful blue. I also prefer a non-white $1. With that said, the greys of the Royals are really nice in person. I know you mentioned that labels + blanks add significant cost/labor (and it does), but in the end, if you're only doing it for one chip color, it's not as much of an investment as it seems.
 

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