Need help identifying old sample chips (1 Viewer)

[shephee]

Hello all,

Years ago I picked up a bunch of different sample chip sets while trying to build a home poker set. Once I finished, all the extra samples ended up in a drawer. Now I’m finally thinking about building another set, and I love the feel of some of these sample chips—I’m just trying to figure out where they originally came from and where I could possibly build a set. Photos are attached.

 

[roughrabbit]

This looks like the GPI no mold to me, but not an expert on molds.

 

[Gus]

I think these are “GPI Elites” which were very briefly made. GPI, which owns Paulson, is the maker of the most popular casino grade clay chips worldwide.

They no longer sell to the public. And these Elites were a marketing scheme to sell chips as business cards and other promotional uses. However some clever folks realized you could just order promo chips with denominations on them like normal chips… thus effectively buying poker chips from them.

They’re “no mold” or plain, meaning there’s no ornamentation on them. Some people have sets of these chips still, but they rarely come up in the classifieds. Any mint condition newer Paulson chips will basically feel like these, so that’s your target if you want the closest thing to what you’ve got.

Your chips also have very big inlays, laminated plastic labels pressed into the chips. Some people like that, other people prefer smaller inlays so there’s more clay exposed on the flat surface.

 

[sleepypiggly]

This is the GPI Elite series, plain mold / no mold.

Here's a recent sale:
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/thre...set-new-low-price-and-t5k-chips-added.137303/

If you like the feel of those chips, also look for GPI Monaco and GPI Elite PCF Tournament.

 

[sleepypiggly]

I think these are “GPI Elites” which were very briefly made. GPI, which owns Paulson, is the maker of the most popular casino grade clay chips worldwide.

Damn, scooped by the shipwrecked shrimper.

 

[shephee]

@Gus
Ahh yes, you nailed it, that’s exactly what they are. I think the part about the clips I like the most is that the edges are sharp in a way that when they stack up, it’s like a smooth barrel without any edges or bumps between chips. Do you know of any others that would fall in that category?

 

[Gus]

@Gus
Ahh yes, you nailed it, that’s exactly what they are. I think the part about the clips I like the most is that the edges are sharp in a way that when they stack up, it’s like a smooth barrel without any edges or bumps between chips. Do you know of any others that would fall in that category?

If I’m understanding you correctly, you’re saying you like the stacked chips having a very smooth side. This will be the case with any excellent/mint condition clay chip. Many plastic chips and china clays have the edges rounded off, but Paulson almost always has a sharp square edge.

Mint condition costs more of course. Well worn chips will round and soften and become “ribbed” when stacked up

 

[pokermansnap]

How much are an average barrel of GPI elites worth? Disregarding denomination. Are they undervalued because of their large inlays etc. even though they are still a high quality chip equivalent to Paulsons?

 

[Gus]

I haven’t seen many playable sets of elites come up. I suspect they’re less desirable due to as you mention the giant inlay, but also not particularly interesting edge spots (all the same), a fairly plain inlay (it’s not even “majestic” it’s just a denomination)…

I’d guess a playable excellent condition set would still be about $1.50/chip

 

[Poker Zombie]

Are they undervalued because of their large inlays etc. even though they are still a high quality chip equivalent to Paulsons?

• Large inlay negating relabel projects
• Identical edge spots across the set
• All white edge spots evokes images of dice chips
• No mold makes mixing sets undesirable
• Not a casino or an epic NAGB.

A good set for $1-$1.50 per chip, but not on anyone's "must have" list.

 

[BigGrizz]

I wouldn't count on them being worth much. They are pretty ugly chips.