Priced-out of this hobby? (3 Viewers)

Lil Tuna said:
You are doing it correctly @LeLe unlike many others here. When you focus on YOUR PRIZE and not someone else’s, you accomplish great things in this hobby.
When you waste your time, money and energy on things that don’t ultimately speak to you, you just end up with a pile of NOTHING ACCOMPLISHED.
I was fortunate to get in on the ground floor of ONE of my sets. I also didn’t know at that time I’d transition into this great hobby, was purely coincidental. The other sets with the exception of InPlays were started way after the train left the station.
FOCUS IS THE NAME OF THE GAME! TAKE IT TO THE BANK!
Great post @LeLe, you get it and I found your post refreshing to read. ;) Congratulations on your set.
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Thanks @Lil Tuna, appreciated that

I learned it the tough way by getting quite a few budgeted sets (Sampling by the set :ROFL: :ROFLMAO: like I told my wife) at the start to get a feel of what I like and prefer.

Sometime, you never know what you like just by reading and vetting through thousands of pictures in PCF.

I never expected that I will have a Plastic Set in my rotation when I first joined PCF.

But having grown up in Asia and with the Casinos around me used Plastic and not clay chips, it really for Nostalgia purpose and almost a must to have a Legit Plastic Casino Set in my rotation.

It may sound weird to some but people I played with really like them more than the Clay set and very often asked me where they can buy them

1657599327847.png
 
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BarrieJ3 said:
@charitycase we came in around the same time, within months of eachother. Everyone’s experience is subjective and unique.

Incoming Ben Book:

In my first 8-10 months I ran through tens of thousands (very literally) of CPS and China Clays and roulettes. Then there was the Matsui set, Royals set, and BJ set. CPC custom set, BCC Mardi Gras and BCC Hotstamps. Starbursts, Roadhouse, LCOs, Tonks (not a full set), Aransas and Outposts.

I was easily averaging the purchase of 3 sets a month, chip sets were flying in and out of this house.

I have no idea what it was like before my time, but I came in during an absolute dead period, most auctions saw 1-3 bidders - and I was always one of them. I look back at that time with disgust for my lack of knowledge :ROFL: :ROFLMAO: but also fondly - I’m glad I got to experience something like that at all.

In my few years here, with an educated guess I would say that I’ve net lost around $7500-8500 in chipping exchanges - that’s not including taking “market prices” into consideration.

But more to your point of today. Well, as of just a couple days ago, I was down to a Cards Mold set and my incomplete Hot Stamps.

I then added a new project in my Aransas & under $2 a chip.

Mint Paris THC sets at cost. And even after I screwed myself, we have solid chippers and professional harvesters who can grab some for nominal charge.

Indiana Grands - I would have passed on these if they weren’t my home casino. But as it is, I picked up a set. Even after getting screwed out of the desirable chips, with some help from locals and trades, I’ll probably get what I wanted (sans my fav, secondary $100) for $4k. Maybe $3 a chip?

Added a 1500+ BCC limit set for $1 a chip.

So in the last month, I’ve purchased THCs, RHC, BCCs - all ranging from $1-$3 a chip.

Most are forever sets to me, I’m happy to pay those prices.

Will I ever find someone to give up their yellow $5 hotstamps or beautiful $5 reds these days? Almost certainly not, but at least it gives me something to look for forever.

Curious as to your adventure. What was it like for you? What do you have today? Any recent purchases?

(BCC limit will be here tomorrow)

View attachment 947988
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@BarrieJ3, where can I buy those Dealer Button Rack ? Thanks
 
LeLe said:
@BarrieJ3, where can I buy those Dealer Button Rack ? Thanks
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Right!?!?!?!? They’re PERFECT for DBs.

I’m actually looking for another if you find them. It’s an MSK Large Plaque Case.

Purchased here. Fits normal sized DBs side by side perfectly and allows you to see rolling edges.
 
Creating a CPC with <= L3 spots and one of the 6 cheaper mold is the best option for a new chipper who wants compression mold chips imho.

The other option is to be lucky to score a TCR set.

Ceramic are nice too. Especially the hybrid and debossed ones from @SUN-FLY Poker Chips and the plain ones from @BR Pro Poker .
 
LeLe said:
It weird but people I played with really like them more than the Clay set and very often asked me where they can buy them

View attachment 948012
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Nothing weird about it really, BG > Paulson. And so underpriced too, it’s almost criminal. Why anyone would pay 10x or more for Paulsons over BG JAV’s is beyond me. It gets even crazier when you factor in how rare playable BG sets actually are compared to Paulsons… :unsure:

If you can’t afford a set of high end plastics these days, you are in the wrong hobby.
 
I've got 2 sets. A mostly Chipco cash set I've had for close to 2 decades and a BR Pro tourney set I bought last year. I need a secondary tourney set and it will be BR Pro. I can get whatever colors I want, the price is reasonable, and the service and turnaround time are fantastic.
 
@Eriks beautiful sets :love:

But even BCC are expensive nowadays, don’t think it will ever be within my budget for the near-future.

I am considering CPC next but they do feel much different from Paulson with the few samples I had.
 
LeLe said:
@Eriks beautiful sets :love:

But even BCC are expensive nowadays, don’t think it will ever be within my budget for the near-future.

I am considering CPC next but they do feel much different from Paulson with the few samples I had.
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Yeah, it’s all relative of course. But compared to leaded THC/TRKs they are a bargain
 
BCCs will be nearly as expensive as THCs in the near future. Why? Because they aren't making any more of them. They haven't attracted the attention of the biggest collectors, but as everyone else's options continue to get more limited and more expensive then they too will start going up in price... even more than they have already.

Same story with B&G casino plastics. Until we see someone in Europe with the same kind of resources, capital, and focus that Jim has in the US, the influx of chips from closing casinos using high-end plastics is going to be very limited; the sets we have in circulation now (the ones from Lithuania and Russia) are going to be all we have, and as collectors keep entering the hobby those prices are going to keep rising. Probably the same with Bud Jones, although conceivably Jim or someone else in the US might find some big scores of those from closing casinos.

Hell, even Starbursts are creeping up in price. They just aren't making any more.

The future of chipping is CPC, Abbiati, Matsui, ceramics, china clays, and better mass market chips - plus the legacy of The Legendary Chips that will mostly be in the hands of those who have been in the hobby for ages or who have the financial wherewithal to pay top dollar for the top sets.
 
There’s absolutely nothing wrong in kicking back some money to someone who made you a good deal and then you sold for huge profit. But that would be nice, not something that would occur.
Instead of FROR I’d prefer a 25% cut of any profit you make when you resell chips I’ve sold you. This kind of deal might help sells and sellers.
 
shorticus said:
This is a very interesting comment that I believe warrants an entire thread of conversation.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with feeling this way, but it definitely raises an interesting point.
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I also find this question very interesting.

Ex. you have a 1000pc THC cash set worth $8-10k.

Do you prefer to keep it and play it (without caring some chips can lose their minty condition) or you prefer to sell, replace it by a CPC set that is costing 1/3 or it and enjoying it more (because you care less if the chips are not minty anymore).
 
shorticus said:
This is a very interesting comment that I believe warrants an entire thread of conversation.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with feeling this way, but it definitely raises an interesting point.
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Yes, it appears chippers treat public purchases and sales as a two person zero sum game. Max value cash grabs, imho, brought us here faster than any “whale”.

Again, for everyone here that yells non stop about us being a community, please show me the people who are randomly hooking folks up, sending out cheap sets, etc. to people outside their immediate circle.
 
JustDave said:
haven't experienced the cards mold break in yet. Is there information out there on the finish getting rubbed off by wear and tear or something?
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Nothing yet brotha Dave... "but coming soon, to a thread near you!" I have experienced it first hand! Chipper friend of ours has been using them for a bar league game... weekly I believe. I asked to play his "customs one night" (he keeps his HSIs for the home game) all the bar players were pissed at me asking "why do we have to play with these chips, we play the good chips when we come here... These suck!" And this was from NON chippers. When the new wears off of the cards molds it is a far different thing than CPCs! Lol

Again it takes a while with weekly use (8 - 10 months x 4 game a month) 40 ish sessions @4 ish hours per session so 160 ish hours of play? But I have no idea when they stated going down hill. But also many here it would take a LONG time to get to 160 hours of play on a set!
 
shorticus said:
This is a very interesting comment that I believe warrants an entire thread of conversation.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with feeling this way, but it definitely raises an interesting point.
Click to expand...
Hey, I went the same way. I built this mixed, leaded THC set during the first summer of Covid:
55FE3B80-6DF1-4F0A-A550-D458DF0565E9.jpeg

All it needed was another rack or three of PCA $5s, and I’d have a set to keep forever. And I knew I’d find them, with patience; no rush.
But then one morning, Windwalker offered $1200 each for a dozen racks of PCA $5s, and I guess I realized 4 things:
1) I was happy to sell mine at that price.
2) I’d never find more of them at an acceptable price
3) I’d probably never find ANY mint leaded THC $5s at a reasonable price to finish the set.
4) Mint leaded THCs were now too expensive for me to justify owning.

I didn’t love those realizations, but that’s life. I sold.
 
upNdown said:
Hey, I went the same way. I built this mixed, leaded THC set during the first summer of Covid:
View attachment 948129
All it needed was another rack or three of PCA $5s, and I’d have a set to keep forever. And I knew I’d find them, with patience; no rush.
But then one morning, Windwalker offered $1200 each for a dozen racks of PCA $5s, and I guess I realized 4 things:
1) I was happy to sell mine at that price.
2) I’d never find more of them at an acceptable price
3) I’d probably never find ANY mint leaded THC $5s at a reasonable price to finish the set.
4) Mint leaded THCs were now too expensive for me to justify owning.

I didn’t love those realizations, but that’s life. I sold.
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First, I actually love that set. Secondly, I see no problem with this.
 
shorticus said:
This is a very interesting comment that I believe warrants an entire thread of conversation.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with feeling this way, but it definitely raises an interesting point.
Click to expand...
Put a different way: I had plenty of more reasonable ways to spend $8000 than on a poker set
 

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