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Priced-out of this hobby? (1 Viewer)

Eriks said:
No worries, it’s probably me I’m doing a poor job getting my points across. I had those BCC sets AND the LCO set, I didn’t sell the LCOs to be able to buy the BCCs. And I wouldn’t sell them now to buy a THC set.

I probably spent $2500-3000 building the LCO set and I thought I would never sell it. Enter covid, enter thousands of new members, enter WW. Bye bye reasonably priced Paulsons. I saw others sell at ridiculous prices and looked at my set and decided I don’t need to keep a set like that when people are ready to spend these obsured amounts of money to get it. I don’t aspire to be Robin Hood/mother Teresa. I have hooked up people/extended good deals I’ve received, but I don’t regret getting good value out of the LCOs. Otherwise there would have been zero incentive for me to sell them.
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Problem is BCC chips are no longer a budget option, they ate priced closer to THC than RHC chips it seems.

I love the RHC/IHC sets I have and think I have everything I need, so no complaints. But definitely priced out of anything clay beyond that. Would have loved to get a BCC set before stopping but a trade I had fell through after trader changed their mind after waiting 5 months for them to get home and market changed dramatically in that time.

I just wish people who were fortunate enough to get nice leaded THC would stop being such elistist DBs crapping over us RHC collectors ;).
 
warma said:
My 43mms aren’t slippery. I’ve heard there’s a big difference between 40 and 43.
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Even compared to clay or just less slippery than 40? I had a set of B&G plastics that weren’t slippery but they annoyed me with their 14g+ weight instead
 
grantc54 said:
Problem is BCC chips are no longer a budget option, they ate priced closer to THC than RHC chips it seems.

I love the RHC/IHC sets I have and think I have everything I need, so no complaints. But definitely priced out of anything clay beyond that. Would have loved to get a BCC set before stopping but a trade I had fell through after trader changed their mind after waiting 5 months for them to get home and market changed dramatically in that time.

I just wish people who were fortunate enough to get nice leaded THC would stop being such elistist DBs crapping over us RHC collectors ;).
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I mean it’s all relative, but BCCs can be found at $2-3/chip. There was just a Protege cash+tourney set that sold for $2.50 per. That’s still cheaper than most RHC options, right?
 
ChipFinderSK said:
The only way to obtain grail sets nowadays is to:

1) Have a lot of disposable income (maybe 10 - 25% of PCF)

2) Get in on the ground floor of a NAGB

3) Flip your way up to them

Hopefully I can soon be in category 1, because 2 & 3 aren’t really options for me. I do think a recession is coming (in the US) so it will be interesting to see what chip prices are at that point.
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I've seen some chip sets in the past months that would have sold easily just not too long ago that are not selling at the same price now. Inflation is definitely making people think about the prices they are willing to pay and pushing some chips prices down.
 
Loaner sets... another interesting topic that doesn't exactly follow along with what this thread is about. But as always "that idiot Ben has another story to share!" Lol

Two and a half years ago we signed up to co host a meet up in Ohio with @toynoob , we had plenty of chips ready for the task but my good friend Fink (whom I still haven't met in person) knew that his customs were my favorite thing in chipping, thr Pillage N Plunder on the CSQ mold. He had just sent them to @inca911 for his meet up and behind the scenes made it happen that those chips came to us,and in addition sent another 600 chips to make sure we could cover the game. I had absolutely no idea this was happening. @FordPickup92 hands me a huge box from the mail which I opened and started shaking/crying "what are these doing in our house???" She explained that Fink couldn't make the meet up but wanted to offer an amazing chip set to use. I was so freaking excited. I honestly never thought I would get to see my absolute dream set in play... and definitely didn't think they would be in KY damn house!

After endless thank yous I did the only decent thing and bought their own case to keep them safe during their stay with us.
20201009_135804.jpg

(Only pic I can find is this one, the case on the floor there)

While we had the chips (during covid) the only local game running was @Seeking Alpha Social Club , so I asked it of was cool to play them a couple times, of course Fink said yes... everyone loved them (especially Kevin, he ran very well on these)
20210130_224630.jpg

After the Two meet ups they were packed back up and sent home (with insurance... the most nervous 3 days of my life... I couldn't afford to replace these!) Every chip was returned safe n sound.

Absolutely an honor for someone I have never met to send me his babies just for other chippers to try out and enjoy... as I have said before, if that's not a community... then I don't really know what one is!

I can't afford them... but got to enjoy them for a few months!
 
LeLe said:
:mad: who the dumb guy ?
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Lol I don’t name any of my folks. I will say that my response was simply to say don’t even worry, I’ll just cover the whole $30 shipping.

I don’t have time for that nonsense. And out of everyone I’ve dealt with, he’s probably at the top of my do not engage list. More red flags than a matador.
 
I understand the frustration of the OP. I think most of this comes down to the classic compression molded clay, which, face it, are the best feeling/sounding/looking chips. Hey, I like ceramics too but let's get real. For some of us who have been around longer, frankly just lucky to be at the right place, at the right time (with the right level of income) we could get these chips. As it stand now there is nothing other than CPC, which are great and while very expensive, many of us can remember when there was only one mold (HH) and one edge spot pattern (312) available. Fewer colors too! They sky is pretty much the limit there now.

As I've noted elsewhere I've been out of the game for a while but it seems the ceramic game is still strong. I've always loved ABCs stuff (is that the same as BRPro?). The China Clay style seems to be a really good option for labeling and tournament sets. I wish the variety and types I see now had a been available 10 years ago.

Things certainly aren't what they were, but what is?

I know it's a niche thing and I tooling for it would be expensive, but I'm surprised no other Compression Clay producer has come along. Have any cost saving advances been made in the tooling/dying for this?

Now about the Paulson group buy......
 
Ben8257 said:
Loaner sets... another interesting topic that doesn't exactly follow along with what this thread is about. But as always "that idiot Ben has another story to share!" Lol

Two and a half years ago we signed up to co host a meet up in Ohio with @toynoob , we had plenty of chips ready for the task but my good friend Fink (whom I still haven't met in person) knew that his customs were my favorite thing in chipping, thr Pillage N Plunder on the CSQ mold. He had just sent them to @inca911 for his meet up and behind the scenes made it happen that those chips came to us,and in addition sent another 600 chips to make sure we could cover the game. I had absolutely no idea this was happening. @FordPickup92 hands me a huge box from the mail which I opened and started shaking/crying "what are these doing in our house???" She explained that Fink couldn't make the meet up but wanted to offer an amazing chip set to use. I was so freaking excited. I honestly never thought I would get to see my absolute dream set in play... and definitely didn't think they would be in KY damn house!

After endless thank yous I did the only decent thing and bought their own case to keep them safe during their stay with us.
View attachment 948165
(Only pic I can find is this one, the case on the floor there)

While we had the chips (during covid) the only local game running was @Seeking Alpha Social Club , so I asked it of was cool to play them a couple times, of course Fink said yes... everyone loved them (especially Kevin, he ran very well on these)
View attachment 948169
After the Two meet ups they were packed back up and sent home (with insurance... the most nervous 3 days of my life... I couldn't afford to replace these!) Every chip was returned safe n sound.

Absolutely an honor for someone I have never met to send me his babies just for other chippers to try out and enjoy... as I have said before, if that's not a community... then I don't really know what one is!

I can't afford them... but got to enjoy them for a few months!
Click to expand...
Simply badass chips
 
Eriks said:
I mean it’s all relative, but BCCs can be found at $2-3/chip. There was just a Protege cash+tourney set that sold for $2.50 per. That’s still cheaper than most RHC options, right?
Click to expand...
Based on buying an excess of chips at a bad breakdown. If someone wants to sell a 600 chip Protege with reasonable tournament breakdown (T25 starting denom) for 2.5 per chip I'm in.

I see that combo closer to $4+ each.
 
Kid_Eastwood said:
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).
Click to expand...
I have had this battle. I don't need this large of a set. I don't play 5/5.

But, I do like having one set that can cover 3 tables, with the current plan to build 3 more for meetups. And in the end, they arnt going to release a set like this again, and it's never going to be leaded.

And I'd buy any other Westworlds still.... So.... I get the struggle.
 

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grantc54 said:
Based on buying an excess of chips at a bad breakdown. If someone wants to sell a 600 chip Protege with reasonable tournament breakdown (T25 starting denom) for 2.5 per chip I'm in.

I see that combo closer to $4+ each.
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That’s a different story. But you’ve got to be willing to do some work. I bought @Mac128k ’s big tourney set just to complete my higher cash denoms. Had no problem selling the excess chips. And I bet @Split ’s inbox exploded after he picked up those other sets and mentioned he didn’t need all for himself
 
Josh Kifer said:
I have had this battle. I don't need this large of a set. I don't play 5/5.

But, I do like having one set that can cover 3 tables, with the current plan to build 3 more for meetups. And in the end, they arnt going to release a set like this again, and it's never going to be leaded.

And I'd buy any other Westworlds still.... So.... I get the struggle.
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I ain't selling!
 
upNdown said:
Another FAR different angle for me. I appreciate playing with good chips at other peoples’ games. But not to the extent that I’d cough up a nickel for the privilege.
Spending money on Paulsons has always been easy for me, because it’s so easy to cash out when tastes change, when the market changes or even when I need the cash.
But buying into a collective just so I have the opportunity to splash around some grail chips once a month? That is all Greek to me.
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Damn You Rob! Keep on bringing up topics I have opinions on...

For Brie and I we joined the forum in a very dense PCF/Chip talk member area... when we started getting invited to local games and playing on amazing chips, seeing people like the great @Chippy McChiperson bringing so many amazing desirable sets as guest sets to "share" with others... I still remember the first time we got to play the all IHC BTP tourney chips... I knew I could never afford them, I know they catch a ton of heat here from time to time, but to me they are the absolute perfect tournament set. I understand Bill got in on the ground level but his willingness to share a chips set that cover 4 tables and probably $20k plus in value, the fact that I was lucky enough to get a seat in that game.

It made us (well atleast myself) want to find something that was Rare, valuable, worthy enough to play with all of these veteran members in the community. Sure we have tons of chips, but many are not very high end, nothing that attached our name to the chips... well Brie had the PCAs and that's all I heard for two years every time I brought the subject up. We had built a beautiful set of BCC Mardi Gras V2 tourney chips... but there are several of those out in the open.
20201103_163309.jpg

At that point not even realizing it... I had found myself longing for what many call a Grail set. Not necessarily customs, something distinct and desirable. I mean after all there is a fully playable set of Mapes chips in this rotation as well.

Many people question what a "Grail" set is, get stumped trying to figure that out. What is going to make them feel like they have earned a seat amongst the greats in our hobby.

When we found out that we had a seat at SQM 2021, Brie wanted to do aomething nice for @k9dr and knew he had been hunting a single of my favorite chip ever made, The Jokers Wild $.50.we only knew of about 5 in existence at the time and didn't really matter how much money you had, you simply couldn't find one. Brie reached out to the folks on the chip board with a picture of my sample set asking for just a single... the response she recieved left us both with our jaws on the floor for 2 days.
Screenshot_20210116-140807_Messages.jpg

No not a rack... but a playable quantity of my absolute favorite chip ever. All of a sudden it didn't matter the price I had to have them. With Brie out of work, in the middle of the hike of covid and a huge expensive trip just 2 weeks in our future... I had found myself on a "Grail quest!" I didn't care if it took 10 years, I had finally found the set that would mean something special to me. Yes all of the existing $1s are bike tires, finding original yellow Cali $5s is nearly impossible... but now owning the fracs I had to make it happen. Little did I kmow at them time but less than 2 months the later I would have my fully playable dream set. Far from perfect and will probably spend the rest of my life hunting singles and paying redirect ulous per chip prices... but again even in this crazy market dreams can come true
20220204_171859.jpg

Still have to relabel the dimes and Hundos, still hunting several denoms. But playable it is. There is absolutely nothing in this hobby more impressive to me than these right here
20210122_071557.jpg

We all have our own opinions,many think paying $20 plus per poker chip is insanity (don't even ask about the $20s) and those fracs now cost me over $35 each
Screenshot_20220317-092723_eBay.jpg


Priced out? Many would be... but it's all about how important a chip set is to you! For me, I am in for the long haul, however long it takes, whatever the cost, these are my babies.

Have said it before and will again... I hope you all find something that means that much to you in this hobby!

But @upNdown we all know I absolutely have that collective/obsessed/hoarding personality. BUT again what makes this awesome is that I can share this one with others that otherwise wouldn't have such an opportunity!
CBFA7636-280B-443A-95C8-9CB8D8D3A88C.jpeg.jpg

My babies in Florida with the amazing @pltrgyst (but Mark's $5s at the time)
20210527_190441.jpg

My babies In VA with @Seeking Alpha Social Club and @detroitdad !

No I would never expect anyone to "pay" to play with a silly poker chip set... but being able to share them with my piers in this hobby makes the entire investment worth while in my eyes.

Second day with them in play in VA "yes requested twice" Mark ran very well on this set
96BFF205-812C-41BD-AEC7-FB7D32A12BA5.jpeg.jpg

The blues were a place holder and used as quarters that night.

What is this hobby to you? I happily share what it is to me, more impowhat these little clay discs are "worth" to me!
 
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I sympathize with you OP. If the desire is for leaded minty racks ot THC chips, those prices are bananas. And I don't think an economic downturn will change those prices at all. They're the best, and they will never make more. Hoover them up while you can.
 
Ben8257 said:
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!
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Cool. Would love to see what wear and tear does to them. I’ve had mine out just one time for a craps game so they were not getting that poker shuffle and certainly not 4 hours at a time on a regular basis. Would be some awesome feedback for the cards mold gbs.
 

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