Posted in Poker May 31st, 2010
How can you tell the difference between plastic and clay poker chips?
I just acquired a bunch of very old poker chips and I think they are clay but I don’t know for sure. I’m pretty sure they are not plastic, When I shave the edge of a chip it comes off as a powder. The color seems to go all the way through. Any sure way to tell?
Some of these chips are chipped, again, not like plastic. They have a rather dull sound when fipped on a hard surface. I bought a set of 80 at a garage sale, 40 white, 20 blue, and 20 red. They were in a zip lock baggie in a box of junk. Cost $1. There is a fancy design on both sides.
They can be viewed here:
http://misc.cdbpdx.com/PokerChips/
This entry was posted on Monday, May 31st, 2010 at 5:43 am and is filed under Poker. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.
5 Comments on this post
Posted by Elaine F May 31st, 2010 at 6:19 am
just the weight is different
Posted by hugemarkus May 31st, 2010 at 7:14 am
clay are heavier, and if you hit to clay chips lightly, there shouldnt be as much noise as with plastic chips
Posted by Timmy Boy May 31st, 2010 at 7:51 am
listen to the sound as they hit the table if you were to throw it up and let it fall. Clay should sound more…clayie,,, plastic should be more bouncey in a way and and a lot higher pitched. Also the weight clay should be heavier. if it is a powder when you shave the edges i think they are clay. I would say clay…i have had plastic before but switched to clay as i got more professional. I think you have clay. Plastic can crack easily try to crack it with your hand, clay you shouldnt be able to just with your hands. you do have clay=85-90%sure but you test it
Posted by dj_substanc3 May 31st, 2010 at 8:34 am
Very carefully
Posted by patois May 31st, 2010 at 9:13 am
Don’t be shaving on them anymore. They are valuable. My father’s collection is worth over half a million. Leave them alone until you know what you have. There are poker chip conventions routinely. Try attending one to learn more about chips. Bring your collection and let the traders gander at them. Don’t act dumb. They’ll treat you well and they’ll be honest about what you have. But, poker chips websites thoroughly cover every chip that has ever been made anywhere in the world and will list their “value”. Don’t go by those values too much because for that one missing chip, a trader will pay whatever it takes to have it. I may be talking through my nose, though, if you’re already a collector, but just in case you aren’t, you should know this stuff. Have fun. Poker chip collecting and trading is the hobby of kings. You’ll get to meet really interesting people.