HELP IDENTIFY CHIPS (2 Viewers)

[vejeman]

Anyone have any idea what these might be?

 

[allforcharity]

Some sort of plastic, probably. I think I see the odd injection mold pip on the chip sides.

 

[Fran]

Picture is quite blurry but nice slippers

 

[vejeman]

 

[vejeman]

Ok so chips are clay , i want to add them to my collection but I know nothing about them and i like the history of things. I picked up some paulsons without knowing their paulsons and I love them but im not sure about this lot.

 

[BGinGA]

Most likely made by USPC during the first half of the 20th century.

 

[Taghkanic]

This design seems to be found on p. 254 and p. 414 of Seymour’s _Antique Gambling Chips_. Looks like these may be the Victor model of composition chip made by Harris, c. 1900:

 

[Taghkanic]

The ad above indicates that the Victors were 1-9/16” in diameter, i.e. 39.69mm. Interesting that Paulson et al. eventually moved down to 39mm, a hair narrower. (Or is what we call 39mm actually 1-9/16ths? I don’t have anything to measure that precisely.)

Also, I’m not sure what the ad means when it says “round edge.” The OP’s pics look like his chips are flat at the edge. Maybe I’m not understanding the terminology, or maybe they used that design again later with a different edge... I see from some of Seymour’s color photos pics of chips whose edges look more like coat buttons, so maybe those are the round edge type.

 

[Taghkanic]

P.P.S. Seymour notes in his catalog that makers of composition chips often shamelessly copied competitors’ designs.

 

[ekricket]

P.P.S. Seymour notes in his catalog that makers of composition chips often shamelessly copied competitors’ designs.

Fucking Tina’s about 200 years old….

 

[vejeman]

P.P.S. Seymour notes in his catalog that makers of composition chips often shamelessly copied competitors’ designs.

Do you think these are fakes? Or is there something else that would help distinguish the lineage? Also thanks for previous info

 

[Taghkanic]

Do you think these are fakes? Or is there something else that would help distinguish the lineage? Also thanks for previous info

I have no idea, but I don’t think anyone recently would have “faked” such chips. I suppose they could be an imitation of the Harris originals, but my guess is they would still be 80-100 years old and of essentially the same quality.

I have no special expertise in composites of that era—just looked them up. But I would be surprised if such chips would have any extraordinary value unless they were somehow mint (which these don’t appear to be).

 

[BGinGA]

You would think that antique poker chips 120+ years old would have extraordinary value, but alas, it is a bizarre and very fickle market.

If looking for estimated value to a singles collector, try the chip board. But in bulk, it would merely be a novelty item to most people here.

@CrazyEddie