Why preference for solid fracs? (1 Viewer)

drdr

3 of a Kind
Joined
Nov 7, 2023
Messages
524
Reaction score
635
Location
Perth WA, Australia
Waiting for my first CPC set and already planning an add on for fracs. Must... hold until... first... order arrives.

Been seeing multiple posts advising solids for fracs and am wondering on the thinking behind this. Some questions popped up in my noggin:

Just convention to help separate from non-fracs?
Is a recent PCF preference or long standing?
Because spot design is tricky once spot progression is already increasing from $1?

Happy to be educated.
 
If they 're custom CPCs, they just need to be somewhat humble; not necessarily solid.

For poor (i.e. upper middle-class) people pursuing a Paulson set, solid Paulsons are the only option.
 
It's what many if not most casinos do. My guess is that they don't like to spend more than face value on chips, especially chips that tend to walk out the door. Some even use coins or tokens for fracs.
 
Personally, I would never have solid fracs in a custom CPC set. I love edge spots and want them on all my chips, whenever that is an option.

Now having said that, I have a vintage leaded THC Paulson casino set that I love, and both the quarters and the dollars are solids. But with a casino set, you get what you get and you don't throw a fit.

Since many casino sets don't come with fracs at all, or fracs are in very limited supply and cost a small fortune, we often need to substitute in another chip to be able to play low stakes games. Solids are plentiful and generally cheaper than spotted chips, so that makes them a reasonable choice as an add-on.

But for a custom CPC set, only reason I can think of is to keep down the cost. I have both a spotted nickel and a two color quarter pie 25 cent chip in my CPC set that is being planned.
 
While it could be about price, I think it’s more of a progression issue. Since the $1 is generally a simple spot pattern with limited colors, the only way to be even simpler for a frac is to go solid.

Or maybe a half-pie, with a hot-stamp dovetail being a personal favorite:
IMG_5149.jpeg
 
Last edited:
General feedback is starting to add up. Cost seems a primary reason with aesthetics of spot progression close behind. Makes a bit more sense now. Thanks.

While it could be about price, I think it’s more of a progression issue. Since the $1 is generally a simple spot pattern with limited colors, the only way to be even simpler for a frac is to go solid.

Or maybe a half-pie, with a hot-stamp dovetail being a personal favorite:
View attachment 1228466
That's a clever choice for a 0.5 chip.

I'm looking to add on .01, .05, and 0.25 for those that prefer micro stakes. Struggling with the idea of them all being solids. Probably best to start a new thread showing spots of current set and get some advice for frac spots/solids to match.
 
Waiting for my first CPC set and already planning an add on for fracs. Must... hold until... first... order arrives.

Been seeing multiple posts advising solids for fracs and am wondering on the thinking behind this. Some questions popped up in my noggin:

Just convention to help separate from non-fracs?
Is a recent PCF preference or long standing?
Because spot design is tricky once spot progression is already increasing from $1?

Happy to be educated.

I like solid fracs for the same reason that I like having high-denoms be 43 or 48mm chips… It sets them apart from the main chips.
 
MrCatsPants will tell you the frac shouldn’t outshine the other chips as it’s a basic utility chip.
 
Solids are somewhat traditional for fracs.

I wouldn't make a penny chip, that's crazy. Even for a nickel, just use a rack of starbursts.
Had to look up what a penny is.
Only reason I'd make a 0.01 is for completeness of the set. Which, even I admit is vanity.
 
Vanity is for people with more money than can be appreciated. Spend on what you will use.
Oh, they'd get used. Have some odd players that want to play 1c/2c limit. But likely is only me who'd care that the entire set is matched with mold/inlays. I've never spent any money on myself; never travelled or had a non-beater car. Resulted in spare cash sloshing around... apparently for chips (my only luxury purchase I've ever made).
 
General feedback is starting to add up. Cost seems a primary reason with aesthetics of spot progression close behind. Makes a bit more sense now. Thanks.


That's a clever choice for a 0.5 chip.

I'm looking to add on .01, .05, and 0.25 for those that prefer micro stakes. Struggling with the idea of them all being solids. Probably best to start a new thread showing spots of current set and get some advice for frac spots/solids to match.

My Dragonara Palace set has 2 pence, 5 pence, and 10 pence chips that I use when playing poker with my granddaughters. $0.02 / 0.04 blinds. $2 buy-in and starting stacks are:

2p x 20
5p x 20
10p x 6

But 1 cent chips??? Thats crazy talk! :ROFL: :ROFLMAO: :ROFL: :ROFLMAO: :ROFL: :ROFLMAO:

20220810_210646.jpg
 
Oh, they'd get used. Have some odd players that want to play 1c/2c limit.
Gonna be totally honest. That sounds like the most boring game ever. I think I would go insane. The penny game with my grandkids is just for training purposes. I'll get them up to nickel / dime soon, then eventually let them play 25c / 25c with the adults.
 
Gonna be totally honest. That sounds like the most boring game ever. I think I would go insane. The penny game with my grandkids is just for training purposes. I'll get them up to nickel / dime soon, then eventually let them play 25c / 25c with the adults.
I can see how many would see it that way. My home game may be considered unique by PCF: 18 years and money has never been tabled (points tracked instead). All treat the game seriously (no BS play occurs). Yes, my crew are weird but I love them. The idea of introducing 1c/2c is controversial amongst my players. Please don't ostricise me PCF :D
Just use $1 chips at 100x value
Using 1/100 of chip value is the plan until I have an add on made. Or use the old beat up sluggos with no denoms on them. Though I'd rather have some new nice chips in play.
Man, just use real pennies. They cost like
...1 penny each.
Would work. But the smallest coin us Aussies have is 5c. And that wouldn't be as cool as chips.
 
Last edited:
Last edited:
Gonna be totally honest. That sounds like the most boring game ever. I think I would go insane. The penny game with my grandkids is just for training purposes. I'll get them up to nickel / dime soon, then eventually let them play 25c / 25c with the adults.
I like to use candy and chocolates for pennies and nickels and dimes. My go to are kisses and mini reeses cups. but any small individually wrapped candy could do. Only down side, if your like me, is trying to not eat all the "chips" before you're done playing.
If you want to be fancy, get some of those chocolate coins.

81KPtC6BOaL._SL1500_.jpg
813+6fRVh9L._SL1500_.jpg
 
At the casino I work at, only the roulette chips are solid colors. Every value chip has edge spots. In the casino, the higher the denomination, the more edge spots there are. So fracs would have the least, maybe just one or two edge spots. The 1k, 5k, and $25k chips are oversized at 43mm and have up to 10 edge spots.
 

Create an account or login to comment

You must be a member in order to leave a comment

Create account

Create an account and join our community. It's easy!

Log in

Already have an account? Log in here.

Back
Top Bottom