How do some of you afford.... (1 Viewer)

[mcfilthy]

I see some sets selling or several thousand dollars. The price I understand due to the type of chips, quantity, etc...But how??? LOL.

 

[LowerBama1714]

political image removed

 

[BigJackJones]

I don't know how old you are, but a lot of folks on this forum are older and are probably well established in their career. Some probably retired from great careers. Others probably buy and sell with the swing of their winnings.

Statistically speaking, there are probably a few jewel thieves, a handful of lottery winners, and definitely a few folks who would sell their grandmother for the right set of Tigers.

I'm not sayin' which one I am, but I don't swim in those waters either.

 

[DrStrange]

Chipping is a hobby for well off, first world people. Not that different from many other collecting hobbies. When supplies are small vs demand, the prices can go shockingly high.

My advice would be to moderate one's interest. < or find a source of extra spending money > There are plenty of sets out there that are not that expensive. Also, some of the vendors have very tempting sales from time to time. Patience is a virtue when cost is part of the equation.

Also, the oldest people in the collecting community have benefited from times when prices were far lower. Some of my sets were purchased for $0.25 - $0.60 per chip. The Great Recession of 2008 - 2011 put a lot of chips on the market for quite low prices.

Two examples, one from circa 2006 the other from circa 2011. Priced very moderately. Not mint, but fine vintage Paulson Casino chips.

New configuration of Outpost rack

• DrStrange
• Feb 3, 2016

by Oz Woodworking

Latest addition to the set

• DrStrange
• Jul 31, 2015

 

[rainy_trails]

I see some sets selling or several thousand dollars. The price I understand due to the type of chips, quantity, etc...But how??? LOL.

lol I know right. Lot's of business owners too. I felt like a baller when I got my Apache Pharaoh set hahaha my friends have only seen dice chips, so they were blown away

 

[rainy_trails]

Chipping is a hobby for well off, first world people. Not that different from many other collecting hobbies. When supplies are small vs demand, the prices can go shockingly high.

My advice would be to moderate one's interest. < or find a source of extra spending money > There are plenty of sets out there that are not that expensive. Also, some of the vendors have very tempting sales from time to time. Patience is a virtue when cost is part of the equation.

Also, the oldest people in the collecting community have benefited from times when prices were far lower. Some of my sets were purchased for $0.25 - $0.60 per chip. The Great Recession of 2008 - 2011 put a lot of chips on the market for quite low prices.

Two examples, one from circa 2006 the other from circa 2011. Priced very moderately. Not mint, but fine vintage Paulson Casino chips.

New configuration of Outpost rack

• DrStrange
• Feb 3, 2016

by Oz Woodworking

Latest addition to the set

• DrStrange
• Jul 31, 2015

that last attachment is lovely! Wow which ones are those?

 

[mcfilthy]

I don't know how old you are, but a lot of folks on this forum are older and are probably well established in their career. Some probably retired from great careers. Others probably buy and sell with the swing of their winnings.

Statistically speaking, there are probably a few jewel thieves, a handful of lottery winners, and definitely a few folks who would sell their grandmother for the right set of Tigers.

I'm not sayin' which one I am, but I don't swim in those waters either.

Im 41

 

[mcfilthy]

Makes sense

 

[allforcharity]

I got to work obtaining chips that other people wanted, and selling or trading for what I wanted. Took years and years.

A couple I bought or had made when the opportunity came up.

 

[AfterTheFact]

 

[DrStrange]

Those are chips from the Empress Casino. Oddly, the hard-to-get chips were the ones. The ones in my set are the picked over remains from other peoples culls. Of course, the high value chips are also quite uncommon. But that is expected. The dollar chips should have been easy enough to gather - this wasn't a venue for high net worth gamblers.

Singles from Empress Casino

• DrStrange
• Jul 31, 2015

Note the shaped inlays

 

[BPTDirector]

Bought, sold, traded, spent small windfalls, 15 years later…..
Poor, broke, happy, playing for pocket change compared to most, but…

 

[mcfilthy]

I also live in NC, where there are no casinos (don't count Harrah's since its on theo ther side of the state). Never gotten a chance or played in a large game. Largest was $100 buy-in

 

[iLogik]

I’m still on the hunt for those 1s, overtime…
Besides that this set cost a pretty penny.
I’m broke but happy.
I’m used to spending money on expensive hobbies like yugioh pokemon etc, but this exceeds that by a lot

 

[Colquhoun]

Chipping is a hobby for well off, first world people. Not that different from many other collecting hobbies. When supplies are small vs demand, the prices can go shockingly high.

My advice would be to moderate one's interest. < or find a source of extra spending money > There are plenty of sets out there that are not that expensive. Also, some of the vendors have very tempting sales from time to time. Patience is a virtue when cost is part of the equation.

Also, the oldest people in the collecting community have benefited from times when prices were far lower. Some of my sets were purchased for $0.25 - $0.60 per chip. The Great Recession of 2008 - 2011 put a lot of chips on the market for quite low prices.

Two examples, one from circa 2006 the other from circa 2011. Priced very moderately. Not mint, but fine vintage Paulson Casino chips.

New configuration of Outpost rack

• DrStrange
• Feb 3, 2016

by Oz Woodworking

Latest addition to the set

• DrStrange
• Jul 31, 2015

Agreed…ther are plenty of hobbies that are far more expensive than collecting chips. Boating, golf, fly-fishing, guitars, etc., you’re LUCKY to get by with those hobbies for just a few grand.

Now, if your hobby is knitting sweaters, that’s like hitting the lottery in savings.

 

[johnnycnote]

 

[Lil Tuna]

Chipping is a hobby for well off, first world people. Not that different from many other collecting hobbies. When supplies are small vs demand, the prices can go shockingly high.

My advice would be to moderate one's interest. < or find a source of extra spending money > There are plenty of sets out there that are not that expensive. Also, some of the vendors have very tempting sales from time to time. Patience is a virtue when cost is part of the equation.

Also, the oldest people in the collecting community have benefited from times when prices were far lower. Some of my sets were purchased for $0.25 - $0.60 per chip. The Great Recession of 2008 - 2011 put a lot of chips on the market for quite low prices.

Two examples, one from circa 2006 the other from circa 2011. Priced very moderately. Not mint, but fine vintage Paulson Casino chips.

New configuration of Outpost rack

• DrStrange
• Feb 3, 2016

by Oz Woodworking

Latest addition to the set

• DrStrange
• Jul 31, 2015

I remember when @DrStrange.

 

[chippitydoodah]

Agreed…ther are plenty of hobbies that are far more expensive than collecting chips. Boating, golf, fly-fishing, guitars, etc., you’re LUCKY to get by with those hobbies for just a few grand.

Now, if your hobby is knitting sweaters, that’s like hitting the lottery in savings.

 

[PLOdonk]

PLO heaters are a glorious thing

 

[LeLe]

I don't know how old you are, but a lot of folks on this forum are older and are probably well established in their career. Some probably retired from great careers. Others probably buy and sell with the swing of their winnings.

Statistically speaking, there are probably a few jewel thieves, a handful of lottery winners, and definitely a few folks who would sell their grandmother for the right set of Tigers.

I'm not sayin' which one I am, but I don't swim in those waters either.

+1 to the above

In addition, some of us had started the collection way earlier when the hobby is still very affordable too.

But most people who can afford collecting usually have side passive disposable income to pay for the chips.

 

[Lil Tuna]

I see some sets selling or several thousand dollars. The price I understand due to the type of chips, quantity, etc...But how??? LOL.

Sometimes it’s all about the time one puts into a project. If you were to spend years working on assembling such a set, what might that set be worth to you?

When you see rare sets out there listed for prices that seem mind boggling, you've just got to put it in perspective.

 

[AlbinoDragon]

Agreed…ther are plenty of hobbies that are far more expensive than collecting chips. Boating, golf, fly-fishing, guitars, etc., you’re LUCKY to get by with those hobbies for just a few grand.

Try amateur astronomy! I shudder to think what I've spent on that hobby. Makes my chipping habit seem like drop in the bucket!


Honest answer for the OP. There's no need to unload $8 a chip on chips. That's Rolls Royce level outlay for a set. The most I've paid was $4 per to round out my PCA set because I didn't get the numbers I really needed when I bought them to begin with. Very nice CPC customs can be had for less than $3 a chip (there's no need for level 8 spots on most of your chips) and careful timing will bring another sale of chips from a closed casino care of @TheChipRoom that will also not break the bank.

If you really want "higher end" chips, start saving and take your time. The set you lust over now might seem boring in a years time. We are all fickle beasts.

Welcome and enjoy the ride!!

 

[l33tf0b]

Treat it as a long term lease … sell chips and buy more to play with

I think most of us are settled in life … don’t think I’d spend anywhere close to the amount now when I’m in my 20s or early 30s which seems to be when all the good deals were to be had

 

[Rhodeman77]

Having a side hustle helps, it’s not for everyone but….

 

[mcfilthy]

Having a side hustle helps, it’s not for everyone but….

My normal saying. I guess I"m more of why spend so much on chips you may not use but hobbies are hobbies. I'm not a collector.

 

[Old State]

I would hope no one would spend money they didn’t have or shouldn’t spend on something as unnecessary as custom poker chips. If the cost of what you are interested in buying causes financial pain you should not buy it.

 

[chippitydoodah]

I would hope no one would spend money they didn’t have or shouldn’t spend on something as unnecessary as custom poker chips. If the cost of what you are interested in buying causes financial pain you should not buy it.

Where were you a year ago?

 

[DirtyTIVA]

 

[l33tf0b]

Chipping with rent money still better than gambling with rent money. Still got chips to sleep with at night haha … sell off if u really need to keep the lights on

 

[Hunt247]

It's just a hobby for most guys, some collect old cars, art work or maybe a rental house.
My son has told me it's a good thing you don't collect cars. Trust me there are more, a lot more!