Is there a compilation/guide of recommendation by materials and price point? (1 Viewer)

Hi everyone, I’m new here and was wondering if there’s a compilation of posts for new chippers. for instance, are there set recommendations by materials at <$100, <$200, <$300, and $500+?
We don't usually talk about "materials" but rather more generically "types of chips". The difference between a clay chip and a ceramic chip goes well beyond the materials they're made of. For example, clay chips (which are in many cases actually made of plastic, with some clay minerals mixed in) are compression-molded, which lets them have inlays that are flush with the surface of the chip. Plastic chips are injection-molded, so their "inlays" are actually decals that are stuck onto the surface of the chip. Ceramics are injection molded, but without a recess, and instead of having an inlay or a decal they are printed directly onto their surface across the entire face and along the rolling edge. Plastic chips come in three types (broadly speaking), each of which has different characteristics independent of the material they're made of: mass market plastics, casino-quality plastics, and china clays.

You won't find set recommendations for any price range or type of chip because what chips appeal to someone is a very personal decision. Everyone has their favorites and they're all different. The one and only broadly applicable recommendation is "get samples" and it's the universal reply to your question. You will only ever know whether a particular chip set is right for you by holding the chips in your own hands.

Is heavier, within reason, better? I see a lot of chips at 10g - is that the lowest you would go?
Again, this is a personal decision. Most people prefer the feel and weight of casino clays, which range from about 8g to about 11g. Most people prefer towards the heavier end of that range, which is why you'll see many people speaking fondly of "leaded Paulsons" and "leaded TRKs" - both Paulson and TRK made chips with and without lead in their clay formulas. The leaded ones are heavier, and most people like that. That said, few people will turn down lighter, unleaded Paulsons, especially since the leaded ones are older, aren't made any more, and are harder and more expensive to get.

Plastic chips, including both mass market and casino quality, usually contain metal inserts ("slugs") to increase their weight. They usually range from 11.5g to 14g. Many people don't like that much weight, but they absolutely do have their fans among the PCF membership.

Is there a generally preferred material between ceramic or clay? I’m looking to get samples, but wondering what you all thought.
Nearly everyone prefers clays over any other type, including ceramics. Lots of people are quite happy with ceramics, though; they're good chips, are affordably priced, come in a wide variety of graphic designs, and can be custom-made.

Welcome to the forum! You've got a lot of catching up to do. :) Probably the best way to start is to browse the classifieds to see what kinds of chips people are buying and selling, and whenever you come across something that's unfamiliar but interesting use the forum search function to find threads where people are talking about it.

... and always feel free to ask questions like this!
 
This makes a lot of sense, thanks so much for your reply. Definitely have a ton of reading ahead of me :)

Personally, I’m thinking about buying once and buying right. Leaning towards clays or China clays based on your post. Clays being the premium/best and China clays being the cheaper cousin. Wondering if I care enough about the difference in feel to pay for the difference in price - which takes me back to square one - time to get some samples!
 
Personally, I’m thinking about buying once and buying right.
Then buy samples. Lots of samples. And when you have all your samples, buy more samples. All the reading and question asking cannot tell you what is right for you. Only you can tell what is right for you.
 
We don't usually talk about "materials" but rather more generically "types of chips". The difference between a clay chip and a ceramic chip goes well beyond the materials they're made of. For example, clay chips (which are in many cases actually made of plastic, with some clay minerals mixed in) are compression-molded, which lets them have inlays that are flush with the surface of the chip. Plastic chips are injection-molded, so their "inlays" are actually decals that are stuck onto the surface of the chip. Ceramics are injection molded, but without a recess, and instead of having an inlay or a decal they are printed directly onto their surface across the entire face and along the rolling edge. Plastic chips come in three types (broadly speaking), each of which has different characteristics independent of the material they're made of: mass market plastics, casino-quality plastics, and china clays.

You won't find set recommendations for any price range or type of chip because what chips appeal to someone is a very personal decision. Everyone has their favorites and they're all different. The one and only broadly applicable recommendation is "get samples" and it's the universal reply to your question. You will only ever know whether a particular chip set is right for you by holding the chips in your own hands.


Again, this is a personal decision. Most people prefer the feel and weight of casino clays, which range from about 8g to about 11g. Most people prefer towards the heavier end of that range, which is why you'll see many people speaking fondly of "leaded Paulsons" and "leaded TRKs" - both Paulson and TRK made chips with and without lead in their clay formulas. The leaded ones are heavier, and most people like that. That said, few people will turn down lighter, unleaded Paulsons, especially since the leaded ones are older, aren't made any more, and are harder and more expensive to get.

Plastic chips, including both mass market and casino quality, usually contain metal inserts ("slugs") to increase their weight. They usually range from 11.5g to 14g. Many people don't like that much weight, but they absolutely do have their fans among the PCF membership.


Nearly everyone prefers clays over any other type, including ceramics. Lots of people are quite happy with ceramics, though; they're good chips, are affordably priced, come in a wide variety of graphic designs, and can be custom-made.

Welcome to the forum! You've got a lot of catching up to do. :) Probably the best way to start is to browse the classifieds to see what kinds of chips people are buying and selling, and whenever you come across something that's unfamiliar but interesting use the forum search function to find threads where people are talking about it.

... and always feel free to ask questions like this!
Can I please ask you what are the top websites PCFers use to buy chips?

I have found Apache and brpropoker, what else? I want to leave no stone unturned before I figure out where I need samples from.
 
We don't usually talk about "materials" but rather more generically "types of chips". The difference between a clay chip and a ceramic chip goes well beyond the materials they're made of. For example, clay chips (which are in many cases actually made of plastic, with some clay minerals mixed in) are compression-molded, which lets them have inlays that are flush with the surface of the chip. Plastic chips are injection-molded, so their "inlays" are actually decals that are stuck onto the surface of the chip. Ceramics are injection molded, but without a recess, and instead of having an inlay or a decal they are printed directly onto their surface across the entire face and along the rolling edge. Plastic chips come in three types (broadly speaking), each of which has different characteristics independent of the material they're made of: mass market plastics, casino-quality plastics, and china clays.

You won't find set recommendations for any price range or type of chip because what chips appeal to someone is a very personal decision. Everyone has their favorites and they're all different. The one and only broadly applicable recommendation is "get samples" and it's the universal reply to your question. You will only ever know whether a particular chip set is right for you by holding the chips in your own hands.


Again, this is a personal decision. Most people prefer the feel and weight of casino clays, which range from about 8g to about 11g. Most people prefer towards the heavier end of that range, which is why you'll see many people speaking fondly of "leaded Paulsons" and "leaded TRKs" - both Paulson and TRK made chips with and without lead in their clay formulas. The leaded ones are heavier, and most people like that. That said, few people will turn down lighter, unleaded Paulsons, especially since the leaded ones are older, aren't made any more, and are harder and more expensive to get.

Plastic chips, including both mass market and casino quality, usually contain metal inserts ("slugs") to increase their weight. They usually range from 11.5g to 14g. Many people don't like that much weight, but they absolutely do have their fans among the PCF membership.


Nearly everyone prefers clays over any other type, including ceramics. Lots of people are quite happy with ceramics, though; they're good chips, are affordably priced, come in a wide variety of graphic designs, and can be custom-made.

Welcome to the forum! You've got a lot of catching up to do. :) Probably the best way to start is to browse the classifieds to see what kinds of chips people are buying and selling, and whenever you come across something that's unfamiliar but interesting use the forum search function to find threads where people are talking about it.

... and always feel free to ask questions like this!
Probably one of the most thought out and best replies in this forum. What great advice and knowledge. Thanks man, I enjoyed this reply.
 
Can I please ask you what are the top websites PCFers use to buy chips?

I have found Apache and brpropoker, what else? I want to leave no stone unturned before I figure out where I need samples from.
#1: The PCF classifieds. Also private sales between members, arranged via PM.

Apache is a good source for samples of various high-end chips - clays and casino-grade plastics, as well as what I would describe as enthusiast-grade plastics, which includes both china clays and some slugged plastics. BRPokerPro and ABC Gifts are two different sites run by the same people, and are the go-to source for ceramics.

Sun-Fly makes several types of ceramics that are well-regarded. Their Polychrom chips are basic ceramics, similar to ABC's offerings. Their Polyinno chips are what we call "hybrids" - they're ceramic chips with full-face printing, but they also have a molded recess which accepts a printed decal. Their Polyclay chips have full-face printing and no recess, but they have symbols (diamonds, cards, and two other designs) molded into the chip, which gives them a somewhat clay-like appearance (sort-of). You can get Sun-Fly samples but they're very expensive due to shipping. Read up on Sun-Fly on the forum before you order.

There are some sample sets that some PCF members have assembled and loan out to new members. See this thread for details.

There are some mass-market plastic slugged chips that some people appreciate, especially for those on a budget. You can get those in small quantities from various online retailers, search for "poker chips" and you'll find them. I've successfully and happily used https://www.discountpokershop.com/ but there's plenty of others. You can usually order chips from the retailers in sleeves of 25. You can sometimes find sample sets of some of the mass-market chips on either Amazon or eBay, which lets you see more denominations than a sleeve of 25 of a single chip.

Classic Poker Chips makes custom high-end clay poker chips, and if you stick with the hobby long enough and have the budget for it you'll eventually get some customs of your own. They sell a few different sample packages, and even if you aren't interested in customs, it's a good way to get your hands on a variety of clay chips. Note that CPCs feel different from Paulsons, which feel different from TRKs, which feel different from BCCs - they're all clay chips, but no two feel quite the same, although all clay chips feel much more like each other than, say, clay chips compared to china clays.

You'll have a hard time leaving no stone unturned. There are lots of different chips, and they're all slightly different, and getting your hands on representative samples can be a pursuit in its own right. But if you cover the big categories - slugged plastics (mass-market and casino), clays (Paulson of at least one variety), china clays, and ceramics, you'll be well on your way towards figuring out where your interests and budget might take you.
 
#1: The PCF classifieds. Also private sales between members, arranged via PM.

Apache is a good source for samples of various high-end chips - clays and casino-grade plastics, as well as what I would describe as enthusiast-grade plastics, which includes both china clays and some slugged plastics. BRPokerPro and ABC Gifts are two different sites run by the same people, and are the go-to source for ceramics.

Sun-Fly makes several types of ceramics that are well-regarded. Their Polychrom chips are basic ceramics, similar to ABC's offerings. Their Polyinno chips are what we call "hybrids" - they're ceramic chips with full-face printing, but they also have a molded recess which accepts a printed decal. Their Polyclay chips have full-face printing and no recess, but they have symbols (diamonds, cards, and two other designs) molded into the chip, which gives them a somewhat clay-like appearance (sort-of). You can get Sun-Fly samples but they're very expensive due to shipping. Read up on Sun-Fly on the forum before you order.

There are some sample sets that some PCF members have assembled and loan out to new members. See this thread for details.

There are some mass-market plastic slugged chips that some people appreciate, especially for those on a budget. You can get those in small quantities from various online retailers, search for "poker chips" and you'll find them. I've successfully and happily used https://www.discountpokershop.com/ but there's plenty of others. You can usually order chips from the retailers in sleeves of 25. You can sometimes find sample sets of some of the mass-market chips on either Amazon or eBay, which lets you see more denominations than a sleeve of 25 of a single chip.

Classic Poker Chips makes custom high-end clay poker chips, and if you stick with the hobby long enough and have the budget for it you'll eventually get some customs of your own. They sell a few different sample packages, and even if you aren't interested in customs, it's a good way to get your hands on a variety of clay chips. Note that CPCs feel different from Paulsons, which feel different from TRKs, which feel different from BCCs - they're all clay chips, but no two feel quite the same, although all clay chips feel much more like each other than, say, clay chips compared to china clays.

You'll have a hard time leaving no stone unturned. There are lots of different chips, and they're all slightly different, and getting your hands on representative samples can be a pursuit in its own right. But if you cover the big categories - slugged plastics (mass-market and casino), clays (Paulson of at least one variety), china clays, and ceramics, you'll be well on your way towards figuring out where your interests and budget might take you.
You’re a legend. Thank you very much!!
 
Oh, also check out @Hobbyphilic 's youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/Hobbyphilic

He has many videos showcasing a huge variety of chips. Watching some of his videos will give you a pretty good idea of the kinds of chips you might want to find samples of. A truly excellent way for new chippers to get started. Bear in mind he mostly covers chips that are readily available on the retail market, and most of the high-end chips can only be found through third-party markets like the PCF classifieds.
 
#1: The PCF classifieds. Also private sales between members, arranged via PM.

Apache is a good source for samples of various high-end chips - clays and casino-grade plastics, as well as what I would describe as enthusiast-grade plastics, which includes both china clays and some slugged plastics. BRPokerPro and ABC Gifts are two different sites run by the same people, and are the go-to source for ceramics.

Sun-Fly makes several types of ceramics that are well-regarded. Their Polychrom chips are basic ceramics, similar to ABC's offerings. Their Polyinno chips are what we call "hybrids" - they're ceramic chips with full-face printing, but they also have a molded recess which accepts a printed decal. Their Polyclay chips have full-face printing and no recess, but they have symbols (diamonds, cards, and two other designs) molded into the chip, which gives them a somewhat clay-like appearance (sort-of). You can get Sun-Fly samples but they're very expensive due to shipping. Read up on Sun-Fly on the forum before you order.

There are some sample sets that some PCF members have assembled and loan out to new members. See this thread for details.

There are some mass-market plastic slugged chips that some people appreciate, especially for those on a budget. You can get those in small quantities from various online retailers, search for "poker chips" and you'll find them. I've successfully and happily used https://www.discountpokershop.com/ but there's plenty of others. You can usually order chips from the retailers in sleeves of 25. You can sometimes find sample sets of some of the mass-market chips on either Amazon or eBay, which lets you see more denominations than a sleeve of 25 of a single chip.

Classic Poker Chips makes custom high-end clay poker chips, and if you stick with the hobby long enough and have the budget for it you'll eventually get some customs of your own. They sell a few different sample packages, and even if you aren't interested in customs, it's a good way to get your hands on a variety of clay chips. Note that CPCs feel different from Paulsons, which feel different from TRKs, which feel different from BCCs - they're all clay chips, but no two feel quite the same, although all clay chips feel much more like each other than, say, clay chips compared to china clays.

You'll have a hard time leaving no stone unturned. There are lots of different chips, and they're all slightly different, and getting your hands on representative samples can be a pursuit in its own right. But if you cover the big categories - slugged plastics (mass-market and casino), clays (Paulson of at least one variety), china clays, and ceramics, you'll be well on your way towards figuring out where your interests and budget might take you.
The most confusing part of this research to me is when to trust the word clay. Even on discountpokershop they claim clay, true clay, etc. At those prices and at 13-14g without an insert too!

Is there a secret language or way to interpret all these “clays”?
 
The first thing to know is that outside the context of chip enthusiasts such as here on PCF, "clay" has no meaning. There's no standard definition and no one who could enforce one, so anyone can and everyone does call their chips "clay" or "clay composite". And, in fact, most often, if you see something marketed as "clay composite" it's just a mass-market slugged plastic chip.

Within the context of PCF and others who know what they're talking about, "clay" means "a compression-molded chip made using materials and processes similar to those that have been used by a handful of manufacturers since the early days of making poker chips in the early twentieth century." To the best of our knowledge ("we" being people who have tried to study the history of poker chips) there have only been a handful of manufacturers that have ever produced clay chips:

1. The United States Playing Card Company (no longer making clay poker chips)

2. The Portland Billiard Ball Company ->The Burt Company -> Atlantic Standard Molding -> American Standard Molding -> Classic Poker Chips

3. T.R. King and Company (no longer in business)

4. Paul-Son Dice and Card Company -> Paul-Son Gaming Corporation -> Gaming Partners, Incorporated (no longer selling to retail customers)

5. The Blue Chip Company -> Gaming Partners, Incorporated (no longer selling to retail customers)

6. Matsui (who make casino-grade plastic chips) very briefly made clay chips, although their existence is nearly mythical; few people have seen them, and although those who have seen them describe them as clay, I personally will remain skeptical until I see one for myself. :)

We focus on this particular definition of "clay" because those were (mostly) the only chips in use by gambling clubs, card rooms, and eventually casinos during the twentieth century. As casinos and card rooms took off in Nevada and California during the mid-to-late twentieth century, casino poker chips were clays made by Burt, TRK, and Paulson, and they stayed that way for a long time. So if you want "real casino poker chips" then you want clays, even though nowadays casinos have other options and so you'll find plastics and ceramics in wide use as well.

If you browse through the poker chip molds database at https://www.antiquegamblingchips.com/molddesignindex_site.htm you'll see various chips that are listed as being made by other companies, such as Langworthy or H. C. Edwards. That usually means that the company in question sold or distributed those chips, but they were made by one of the above companies (usually Burt Co). The distributors owned the molds and had exclusive license to use them, but they didn't do the actual manufacturing.

Today, there are only two companies in the world that make new clay chips: GPI and CPC. GPI only sells to casinos. Only CPC manufactures new clay chips for sale to retail customers, although there is a distributor - Key West Chips - that has chips made by CPC using an exclusive design that they in turn sell to retail customers. The only other way to buy clay chips is through third-party markets like the PCF classifieds, where people who have through various means gotten their hands on clays that were made in days gone by will buy and sell them like precious nuggets of gold.

So in answer to your question about when to trust the word "clay" - with very few exceptions, never.
 
The first thing to know is that outside the context of chip enthusiasts such as here on PCF, "clay" has no meaning. There's no standard definition and no one who could enforce one, so anyone can and everyone does call their chips "clay" or "clay composite". And, in fact, most often, if you see something marketed as "clay composite" it's just a mass-market slugged plastic chip.

Within the context of PCF and others who know what they're talking about, "clay" means "a compression-molded chip made using materials and processes similar to those that have been used by a handful of manufacturers since the early days of making poker chips in the early twentieth century." To the best of our knowledge ("we" being people who have tried to study the history of poker chips) there have only been a handful of manufacturers that have ever produced clay chips:

1. The United States Playing Card Company (no longer making clay poker chips)

2. The Portland Billiard Ball Company ->The Burt Company -> Atlantic Standard Molding -> American Standard Molding -> Classic Poker Chips

3. T.R. King and Company (no longer in business)

4. Paul-Son Dice and Card Company -> Paul-Son Gaming Corporation -> Gaming Partners, Incorporated (no longer selling to retail customers)

5. The Blue Chip Company -> Gaming Partners, Incorporated (no longer selling to retail customers)

6. Matsui (who make casino-grade plastic chips) very briefly made clay chips, although their existence is nearly mythical; few people have seen them, and although those who have seen them describe them as clay, I personally will remain skeptical until I see one for myself. :)

We focus on this particular definition of "clay" because those were (mostly) the only chips in use by gambling clubs, card rooms, and eventually casinos during the twentieth century. As casinos and card rooms took off in Nevada and California during the mid-to-late twentieth century, casino poker chips were clays made by Burt, TRK, and Paulson, and they stayed that way for a long time. So if you want "real casino poker chips" then you want clays, even though nowadays casinos have other options and so you'll find plastics and ceramics in wide use as well.

If you browse through the poker chip molds database at https://www.antiquegamblingchips.com/molddesignindex_site.htm you'll see various chips that are listed as being made by other companies, such as Langworthy or H. C. Edwards. That usually means that the company in question sold or distributed those chips, but they were made by one of the above companies (usually Burt Co). The distributors owned the molds and had exclusive license to use them, but they didn't do the actual manufacturing.

Today, there are only two companies in the world that make new clay chips: GPI and CPC. GPI only sells to casinos. Only CPC manufactures new clay chips for sale to retail customers, although there is a distributor - Key West Chips - that has chips made by CPC using an exclusive design that they in turn sell to retail customers. The only other way to buy clay chips is through third-party markets like the PCF classifieds, where people who have through various means gotten their hands on clays that were made in days gone by will buy and sell them like precious nuggets of gold.

So in answer to your question about when to trust the word "clay" - with very few exceptions, never.
Add Hispania to that short list of compression-molded clay chip manufacturers, who produced scroll mold chips mostly for the casino and home markets in South American, Europe, and the Caribbean.

Closed shop around 1978, I think. Maybe 1987. Sucks getting old. :)
 
Add Hispania to that short list of compression-molded clay chip manufacturers, who produced scroll mold chips mostly for the casino and home markets in South American, Europe, and the Caribbean.
Hispania! I knew I left someone out, but couldn't remember who it was. Thanks.

While we're at it - Gemaco. Were they making chips before getting absorbed into the Borg GPI? The Gemaco promo chips were Paulson No-Molds, right, so they wouldn't have been making chips on their own before the buyout... ??

Closed shop around 1978, I think. Maybe 1987. Sucks getting old. :)
Maybe 1879?
 
Hispania! I knew I left someone out, but couldn't remember who it was. Thanks.

While we're at it - Gemaco. Were they making chips before getting absorbed into the Borg GPI? The Gemaco promo chips were Paulson No-Molds, right, so they wouldn't have been making chips on their own before the buyout... ??


Maybe 1879?
Gemaco manufactured plastic chips prior to the GPI acquisition and subsequent short-lived marketing of clay promotional chips using the unmarked lammer mold.
 
@CrazyEddie I finally had a chance to watch a few of those YouTube videos from @Hobbyphilic

His videos/guides are actually the perfect introduction to chips by material and price point.

Everyone here has been super helpful and friendly. I’m honestly astounded.
 
Add Hispania to that short list of compression-molded clay chip manufacturers, who produced scroll mold chips mostly for the casino and home markets in South American, Europe, and the Caribbean.

Closed shop around 1978, I think. Maybe 1987. Sucks getting old. :)
One other that we overlooked: Hunt & Co.

@Jeff in Iowa wrote about them here, pointing to this article by Howard Herz. Herz makes it pretty clear that Hunt & Co actually manufactured their own chips rather than merely distributing chips made by Burt Co. They were compression-molded and while most had hotstamps, some had inlays (but none had inserts, i.e. edge spots).
 
This is the PCF that i miss. Love this thread, thank you for sharing all the in depth info @CrazyEddie. And like you said yourself @khp , get yourself some samples, i would recommend at least 10 of each type you are interested in so you can shuffle them as well so you get a better feel of them too. I may have an extra 10 THC paulsons (clay) i can ship ya, just pay shipping. PM me if your interested.
 
Personally, I’m thinking about buying once and buying right.
This is an admirable goal.it will save you a lot of money in the long run. A word of caution though. There is a ton of valuable information on this site. It will take time to digest it. I guarantee that one year from now you're perspective will be significantly different than it is today.
 
This is an admirable goal.it will save you a lot of money in the long run. A word of caution though. There is a ton of valuable information on this site. It will take time to digest it. I guarantee that one year from now you're perspective will be significantly different than it is today.
This is so accurate... my taste changed constantly since i joined.

i went from
1. Dice chips
2. Outlaw ABS metal insert plastics
3. Majestic China clays / scroll ceramics
4. Gemaco Elites
5. Paulson chips
6. More Paulsons
7. Bud Jones
8. More paulsons
9. More paulsons
10. Aria ceramics
11. More paulsons

I would recommend Paulsons lol
 
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This is so accurate... my taste changed constantly since i joined.

i went from
1. Dice chips
2. Outlaw ABS metal insert plastics
3. Majestic China clays / scroll ceramics
4. Gemaco Elites
5. Paulson chips
6. More Paulsons
7. Bud Jones
8. More paulsons
9. More paulsons
10. Aria ceramics
11. More paulsons

I would recommend Paulsons lol
My taste has changed a lot in the few days I’ve been here and I haven’t even decided which samples to get yet!

I have a set of dice chips. It’s a bit endearing to me they’re so ubiquitous and everyone instantly knows what you’re talking about.

When I first started reading I was sure I would want 0.16 ABS because VALUE. Quickly it changed to 0.40-60 China clays because quality AND value. Now I’m thinking buy once and buy right. Thinking about CPC customs or trying to buy a full cash set of Paulsons, BCC, or CPCs.

Thank you for your kind offer to send some samples - I’ve actually handled Paulsons at a casino and love em. Now just need to try CPC, BCC, and China clays for confirmation (I think!).

I’m quite certain I won’t want the ABS anymore.

(Wow, look at me using all these acronyms!)

By the way, I’ve seen your Havana room and it looks amazing. It’s actually the thread that made me pine for customs.
 
I started with dice chips as well and then (what I thought was moving up) got set of those Vegas styled chips which I used in my home games for few years. After being on this forum and seeing all these amazing sets I am definitely hooked on the paulsons.

Actually just threw my dice chips away
 

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