Newbie needs advice (2 Viewers)

[BigDutch888]

Hi all,

As title says, I need some advice. I’ve owned a cash set of Monte Carlo’s for a while and really enjoyed them but I feel it’s time for a nice upgrade. Browsing the forum I see so many different sets my mind goes all over the place. I’d like a custom cpc set because they’re brand new, designed by me etc. On the other hand I really like the casino sets like MGM Grand LV, Lucky 21 or Jumers. Sometimes I’ll see one of those come along in the classifieds but then I’m hesitant to pull the trigger and buy them because “what if I make the wrong decision”. So my question for the more seasoned collectors is what are your thoughts about this/how did you start out? And how long does it generally take to collect a full playable set piece by piece?

Curious for your thoughts!

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Good questions, welcome! All depends; if you know you'll be playing and enjoying poker for a long time, chances are you'll enjoy more than one set. If you're sure about a theme for a custom set and you've got the funds, CPC is an amazing start! But many of us don't have the funds or aren't sure, buying other sets and enjoying them incrementally. Others don't like the feel of CPC chips or just prefer casino chips, all kinds of opinions. The good thing is, with most of the clay chips, they hold their value pretty well. Don't expect to get every dollar but they aren't trash after use by any stretch. For fully customized ceramics, they probably don't have NEAR the value to anyone else plus they don't age as well. You can resell most of those MGM Grand/Lucky/Jumers.

None of us can tell you what the right or wrong answers are. Personally I bought cheap custom ceramics for cash and tournament which I'm still in love with and am now putting together a clay chip set, I don't call it collecting I just use them for different games.

Depends what you mean by piece by piece; if its buying singles or barrels here and there its a brutal process ( but people say its rewarding). If you're just talking buying full racks to relabel or customize, it can be done alarmingly quickly.

 

[DZPoker]

I started by just browsing and browsing.

Eventually, because I just loved everything there was to love about heavy THCs (other than their cost!), I decided on the best bang for the buck for me and started building my set rack by rack.

It took time. It took cleaning dirty chips to keep costs down. It took flattening warped chips. I spent 2.5 years building to that ultimate goal, and these aren’t some sort of grail set. But for me, keeping costs down for what I wanted was worth the time and effort.

As @NotRealNameNoSir said though, it can also be done surprisingly quickly depending on how much you’re willing to loosen the purse strings!

 

[BigDutch888]

@NotRealNameNoSir Thanks for your reply! I’ve been playing poker for a little shy of 20 years and still really enjoy it, but only recently stumbled upon the forum and I had no idea there were so many options for chips. I live in the Netherlands and choices through retail stores are pretty limited.

What’s the average cost for a custom 750 chip cpc set? I’ve looked on the website but couldn’t find it.

As far as piece by piece I meant by the rack or barrel haha, I can only image how hard it would be to go chip by chip.

 

[BigDutch888]

I started by just browsing and browsing.

Eventually, because I just loved everything there was to love about heavy THCs (other than their cost!), I decided on the best bang for the buck for me and started building my set rack by rack.

It took time. It took cleaning dirty chips to keep costs down. It took flattening warped chips. I spent 2.5 years building to that ultimate goal, and these aren’t some sort of grail set. But for me, keeping costs down for what I wanted was worth the time and effort.

As @NotRealNameNoSir said though, it can also be done surprisingly quickly depending on how much you’re willing to loosen the purse strings!

Yeah from what I’ve seen the costs can definitely pile up, especially with shipping and everything else added. Usually I live by “pay once cry once” but I don’t think that will work here haha.

 

[SteveEH]

Custom CPCs are the nuts IMO. Get samples and take your time, because you don't want to mess them up and be stuck with a poorly designed custom set.

In the interim there are Paulson and stock CPC sets you could buy and resell later. Then there's tina's ceramics and hybrids that offer great value for both stock and custom chips that I wouldn't be as concerned about messing up compared to CPCs because they're cheaper.

 

[SteveEH]

What’s the average cost for a custom 750 chip cpc set?

This really depends on what you want to spend, but on the cheaper end of spotted inayed chips, you can get away with about $2-3/chip maybe? Also, we can helped with an efficient breakdown as you may not need 750.

CPC pricing by spot level:

http://classicpokerchips.com/pokerchips/realclay/pricelist.htm

CPC spot pattens by level:

http://classicpokerchips.com/pokerchips/realclay/edgespots.htm

 

[Eriks]

Welcome!

It’s overwhelming at first. Take your time, browse a lot and ask questions.

 

[BigDutch888]

This really depends on what you want to spend, but on the cheaper end of spotted inayed chips, you can get away with about $2-3/chip maybe? Also, we can helped with an efficient breakdown as you may not need 750.

CPC pricing by spot level:

http://classicpokerchips.com/pokerchips/realclay/pricelist.htm

CPC spot pattens by level:

http://classicpokerchips.com/pokerchips/realclay/edgespots.htm

Thanks! Must have overlooked it. I did read a helpful thread with breakdowns of cash sets but help is always welcome. We usually play .25/.25 or .25/.50 games with 100bb buy in, 6-8 people.

 

[abby99]

Welcome!

I bought my first poker chip sets around 2004 and no longer have any of them and haven't for years. Buying a playable set of chips is not a lifetime commitment.

CPC's price list is here: http://classicpokerchips.com/pokerchips/realclaypokerchips.htm

Additional costs will include your designer's fee, shipping, and samples. There are many options for accessories such as custom dealer buttons and cut cards. You'll also need racks and other storage items.

I suggest ordering extra chips. CPC does include extra chips that were overruns, but there are no guarantees regarding which chips and how many of each.

Good luck! Take your time and enjoy the process. It is truly an experience you'll never forget.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

@NotRealNameNoSir Thanks for your reply! I’ve been playing poker for a little shy of 20 years and still really enjoy it, but only recently stumbled upon the forum and I had no idea there were so many options for chips. I live in the Netherlands and choices through retail stores are pretty limited.

What’s the average cost for a custom 750 chip cpc set? I’ve looked on the website but couldn’t find it.

As far as piece by piece I meant by the rack or barrel haha, I can only image how hard it would be to go chip by chip.

Your mileage may vary, but you can very easily be spending $2,000 on a 750 chip set depending on your spot patterns, all depends. They won't give you an "average" because some have an all solids set, closer to $1-2 per chip, versus others with tons of complexity, $3-5 per chip, or a mixture of both.

Enjoy, and take your sweet time deciding what you want if its some very personal custom set, otherwise splash around and buy/resell some chips. Good luck!