AN INTERESTING HISTORY OF POKER CHIPS

It is part of human nature to test themselves and gamble when they play casino games, whether it be slot machines or poker games in Las Vegas.

In many respects, gambling is something taken for granted, but the way a poker game has evolved over time at most casinos is fascinating.

Perhaps what is relatively known to most casino enthusiasts, is the storied and colourful history of poker chips.

In this guide, we will chart the origins of the first chips, and take a look at the composition of the poker chip materials — clay poker chips, ceramic poker chips, and plastic poker chips. Make sure you read our history of poker chips to see how they have taken shape at brick and mortar casinos.

POKER CHIPS – SMALL, COLORFUL PUCKS OR SOMETHING MORE?

For those who understand something about collectible chips and poker chip values for that matter, is that it is best not to just cast off poker chips as being merely casino tokens that can be used to play poker.

You can find a poker chip for sale from the top Las Vegas casinos, and for some, rare chips can be highly collectible.

Chip collecting has become a highly popular hobby for casino enthusiasts, and old chips, in particular, can fetch large sums of money. An example of this, was during a casino clubs convention in 2014, a $5 casino chip from the Golden Goose in Las Vegas sold for $75,000.

Inevitably, finding casino chips can be like gold dust, but the further you go back in time, such as the Second World War or even the gold rush, you can see how lucrative they were.

In the following section, we will chart the origins of the humble poker chip.

WHEN DID THE FIRST CASINO CHIPS APPEAR?

While poker games have been in existence since the 600s (A.D.), gambling took on more significance during the 14th and 17th Centuries as poker spread its influence throughout Europe.

That said, the first casino chips weren’t heard of until the 19th Century in the USA, and that was largely down to the gold dust. At the time, poker chips were made of gold, whether that be gold nuggets, dust, coins, or whatever players could get their hands on.

By this point, casinos started to make clay chips, but they soon ran into problems, and it was agreed that a standardisation process was needed to track poker chips.

WHERE DID POKER CHIPS COME FROM?

Modern poker, as we know it, emerged in Mississippi in the 1800s, and initially, cash or paper money was used as a currency for conducting poker games, and there would be different denominations handled.

During the gold rush, players began to use gold nuggets, metal tokens, and ivory chips for gambling purposes, but as the number of poker players began to grow, chips made of ivory and even gold nuggets became easier to forge, so brick and mortar casinos came up with their own system for developing poker chips for cash games.

Throughout the years, the design of poker chips changed, and a colour for chips was invented, so that casinos had a uniform pattern for poker chips. And casino chips were used for other popular table games, such as blackjack and craps.

WHAT ARE CASINO CHIPS MADE OF?

They come in a variety of materials, and they require high pressure machinery in order to be produced. The vast majority are made from plastic, and we have assessed here this and some of the other materials poker chips are made.

However, as you might imagine, the exact process of making chips is a trade secret to prevent encouraging people from making fake chips.

PLASTIC CHIPS

The one thing about plastic chips that makes them great for gambling, is that they are mass produced and super cheap. The colours of plastic chips will vary depending on which casino you play, but many casinos will have different coloured chips to reflect the poker event or game played.

For plastic chips, injection moulding is used, and Atlantic Standard Molding (known as ASM for short) is a behemoth when it comes to producing poker chips for casinos, and they are revered worldwide.

CLAY CHIPS

At one time, poker chips were made of clay, and clay chips were considered to have a more robust and authentic feel than plastic chips.

Clay made chips were what you would expect to use at smaller casinos or saloons for those who played in the 1800s, but you won’t find them in circulation at casinos today, as they haven’t been used since the 1950s.

The clay composition is also very different, as the clay composite originally for old casino chips was very brittle. The clay chips used to come in 11.5 or 13.5-ounce weights, but clay composite chips can be bought online.

They aren’t expensive either as you can buy them online, with the price for a set of 300 clay chips starting at around $35.

METAL CHIPS

While nowhere near as widespread as clay composite, metal poker chips are useful for those looking for a unique design with their poker chips.

But be warned, it can take some time to locate this kind of gambling chip, although you need to keep your eye out on sites, such as eBay.

Metal chips used to be sold a couple of decades ago, but they aren’t so easy to find nowadays, especially if you are a keen poker player.

CERAMIC CHIPS

Compared to clay composite, ceramic poker chips have a smoother surface, and are ultimately more durable. Ceramic poker chips are manufactured using injection moulding, and the graphics are printed directly on the casino chip. These chips also slide across well the felt at a casino, and they are highly versatile.

Therefore, ceramic chips are more customisable as they feature more elaborate designs compared to most other chips. However, ceramic ones will set you back about $150 for 300 if used for gambling.

HIGHLIGHTS ABOUT POKER CHIP

Poker chips are very distinctive, and below, we have assessed some of the key features. The casino’s chips will vary depending on the type of card games played or the gambling stakes involved.

CHIP COLORS

Conventional chips may have particular edge spots compared to the chips at another casino. They come in a variety of colours, such as white, red, and black, and they casinos will tend to follow the same pattern for lower value chips.

So, for example, white and red casino chips tend to carry out denominations of $1 and $5 respectively, whereas yellow poker chips are worth $1,000.

CHIP VALUES

Like cash games, tournament poker chips will have various values attached to them at casinos. There is no certain casino standard, but at some establishments, the red or black chip will be deemed the most valuable for gambling when you play cards. The larger values make it easier to distinguish between casino chips.

CHIP SIZES

Typically, the most common size for a casino chip is 39mm in terms of diameter, but higher value gambling chips can be as much as 48mm at other casinos.

Usually, they are 3.5mm in terms of thickness, and they carry a weight of 10g, but this is lighter compared to commercial chips which tend to weigh around 14g.

LEARN THE TRICKS OF POKER CHIP

Poker chips are highly valuable to a casino, and they may come with security features, but some players have been working on amazing poker chip tricks to use at casinos, and we have highlighted them below.

• Standard chip shuffle – A basic poker chip that involves pushing two stacks of five chips close to each other.
• Chip thumb flip – Take your own chips and use your thumb to push the first chip on the outside and roll upwards.
• Knuckle roll – Pinch a single chip below the knuckle of your thumb and index finger, and slide the chip on top of the index finger, doing so in a natural way.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT POKER CHIPS

You may think you know everything about the role that poker chips play at casinos, but here are some interesting facts that you might feel enlightening.

• After a casino closes, customers have 120 days to redeem their chips.
• Chip collectors will grade the quality of chips with designations, such as the following: N (New), SU (Slightly Used), and Average (A).
• In the late 1800s, higher value casino chips were blue.
• One of the security features used for casino chips, is RFID technology, and it stands for Radio Frequency Identification.
• Chip denominations have nicknames for each colour, with yellow chips known as bananas.
• Nevada regulations state casino chips must be 1.55 inches in diameter (for chips in games other than baccarat).

POKER CHIP IN ONLINE CASINO

Chips are an essential part of the online poker experience, and it is not just because they induce a sense of nostalgia for players.

Poker chips aren’t just used at online casinos for the purposes of aesthetics. It makes it easier for casinos to track games, and as they are distinctive, you can note which players have won which games, and so forth.

Moreover, online casinos will use chips for branding purposes, and they are a great marketing tool to attract more players to their sites.

POKER CHIPS TODAY

There is not one casino that doesn’t recognise the importance or worth of poker chips. Indeed, chips are an essential part of helping to stop cheaters in their path.

At land-based casinos, chips still feel good to touch, and it helps to ensure smooth gameplay, which after all, is what everyone craves.

THE FUTURE OF CASINO CHIPS

With a steady flow of gaming supplies, such as chips, it seems like they will be here to stay. Even with new-fangled electronic devices entering the market, including VR and AR, as well as the emergence of AI, perhaps we could see more virtual chips come into circulation.

However, you imagine this is something that would have to be approved of by a gaming control board, which would oversee the activities of any given casino in question.

CONCLUSION

The history of poker chips is certainly a fascinating tale, and it is incredible to see the transformations that casinos have undergone over the past couple hundred years.

They are an essential part of the casino fabric, and as explained, that is partly down to the cultural cache attached to them. While some types are more common than others, and if you look hard enough, you can find them online. So get involved, and join in the fun today!