Where are the good "BLANK" chips? |
|
Posted Thu Jan 06, 2005 3:06 pm GMT by pie taster
I've been surfing this forum for awhile because I can not find the chips that I want for the price range that I want, so I wanted to rant for a little bit.
I think the chip providers are missing a big market for lesser expensive blank chips.
Let me explain.
What I don't want:
-Cheap common plastic chips
- Non customizable
- Denominations
- Tacky things on them
I'm looking for a somewhere between a 500 - 1000 chip set. I do not want the cheap plastic kind that you can buy on e-bay with the diamond or suite design for the obvious reason that they are just too cheap, and all my friends have these sets, and I don't want to worry about people bringing in chips.
The higher end chips are just too much money, and "yes" that is a personal situation. But here's the big problem that I have with the higher end chips (Chipco, Paulson, Blue Chip). Most of these either require customization, or have denomination on them.
Why do they have all have denomination on them? Nevada Jacks, Paluson, Desparado's, and so forth.
I don't want that type of flexibility removed from my chips. These chips do look and feel awesome and if I could find a great deal on a set (.50 chip), I would buy them. The only really nice set of no-denominations that I have seen have been the Chipco Suites (that I believe were designed by a group on this forum). But I feel denominations take away from the chip set (so I hate paying extra for it).
The closest that I have seen have been the Nexgen chips, but even they have too many flaws. The big one is the writing on the sides, why do they need that? I don't want "Las Vegas" on my chips. I live in DC. Las Vegas is fun to visit, but it's kind of tacky.
HERE IS MY IDEA!
What I want:
- No plastic looking chips (clay/composite is best)
- No denominations
- Edge spotting (or appearance of such)
- Indentation for vinyl sticker inlay
- .50 a chip!!!
Is this so hard? I think this would meet a big demand of people that want a good middle of the road (meaning in between the chip dice/suited chips and the paulson chips) and can add stickers for their own personal touch.
Let me take this a little bit further of example of what I would think make a good chip from the chips that are out there now.
- NextGen chips without any writing on them (remove "las vegas", "casino", and "river boat tour". If you need something.. add a small design like the card suits.
- Nevada Jacks "Club Martini" without the sticker.. just have an inlay for a sticker.
- A calico chip that has an inlay.
- Any Paulson chips that are blank (anything to keep the costs of these beautiful chips down)
- Blank Desert Sands chips (nevada jacks sell you the custom option for .95... what would be the cost if I didn't provide my customization)
-The "Modern Clay" chip.. but blank (I think it's made by Blue Chip)
- All-in Chips (but without the self promotion)
Ok, I feel better getting that off my chest....
Am I missing something? I guess to sum it up, Where are the blank clay(ish) that won't cost an arm and leg that can be customizable and have edge spotting?
Why hasn't this been introduced to the marketplace yet?
Does anyone else feel the same way?
Am I way too picky and cheap?
What's another name for thesaurus?
Thanks for listening.
Looking forward to the feedback or other thoughts.
Did you know that participating in a poker forum can help you improve your own game? Be it by sharing experiences or simply asking for help, participation in a forum helps you focus and keep 'on topic' which will help you improve your game. You can learn from other players feedback and from their experiences. Why the THP poker forums? We offer one of the best managed texas holdem poker forums available, and the community within is far more friendly than those typicaly found on other sites. We've made a 'lurkers edition' of the poker forum available here on Holdem Poker Online, but we encourage all visitors to register and join in on the conversations on TexasHoldem-Poker.com
Posted Thu Jan 06, 2005 3:34 pm GMT by pie taster
sorry.. corrected spelling.
Posted Thu Jan 06, 2005 3:49 pm GMT by pie taster
Hey, those aren't bad...
Still. .65 a chip... i wonder if they made a single edge spot how much cheaper they would be.
Posted Thu Jan 06, 2005 3:56 pm GMT by MeridianFC
| pie taster wrote: | Let me take this a little bit further of example of what I would think make a good chip from the chips that are out there now.
1. NextGen chips without any writing on them (remove "las vegas", "casino", and "river boat tour". If you need something.. add a small design like the card suits.
2. Nevada Jacks "Club Martini" without the sticker.. just have an inlay for a sticker.
3. A calico chip that has an inlay.
4. Any Paulson chips that are blank (anything to keep the costs of these beautiful chips down)
5. Blank Desert Sands chips (nevada jacks sell you the custom option for .95... what would be the cost if I didn't provide my customization)
6. The "Modern Clay" chip.. but blank (I think it's made by Blue Chip)
7. All-in Chips (but without the self promotion) |
1. I don't think you'll see any plastic chips without some sort of mold text for a while. These things are made by the boatload. Literally.
2. The Martini Club mold is proprietary and in addition I don't think the NJ folks want to compete with themselves by selling a cheaper version of the same chip.
3. What is a calico chip?
4. Paulson does not sell blank chips ever. They never have. We're luck there's to be any Paulsons at all. I have a nice set of hot stampled chips I got a few years back, which is probably your ideal, but I don't think that option will be available ever again.
5. Once again I don't think the NJ people want to sell a cheaper version of something already on their books.
6. Ditto for these folks
7. From all reports All In chips are complete crap, so blank or no you probably don't want to go there.
| Quote: | Am I missing something? I guess to sum it up, Where are the blank clay(ish) that won't cost an arm and leg that can be customizable and have edge spotting?
. |
By customizable you mean something blank you can put a sticker in right? That doesn't seem to be in the best interest of the quality chip makers. Maybe if they could make and ship chips at the speed and in the numbers of the plastic injection molded folks, but that ain't how they do it. It takes time (and therefore money) to produce the kind of chips you're talking about.
ASM and TRKing offer hot stamped chips, which is customized after all, that are close to your price range.
BTW where in DC are you? You ever play downtown?
K.
Posted Thu Jan 06, 2005 3:58 pm GMT by Iron Butt
LOL... I made almost the same post about 9 months ago. I ended up with the LV Nexgens and am happy with them especially for the .15 each I paid.
Pokerchips.com plain clay edge spot chips are .5/ea., plus you get to pick your own colors and mold. There's a wait and QC issues have been reported lately, but most reviews have been extremely positive. The least expensive clay chip I know of, plus they're custom.
For a little less see thepokerchipcompany.com, they have a well regarded plain 3 spot design.
Posted Thu Jan 06, 2005 4:20 pm GMT by Maddy
Yeah, I know what you mean. I would definately buy the chips that you are looking for if they made them. I have samples of the Nexgens in my mailbox, if I ever get enough energy I'll go get them out of there. I think that i'll probably just end up getting those. They look good and I have the money but we'll see.
Posted Thu Jan 06, 2005 4:44 pm GMT by pie taster
So there are other people out there like me.. now I don't feel so alone.
A couple of followups..
I said "Calico Chips", I'm an idiot, I meant "Chipco".
I guess your right Meridan, about high-end companies that don't want to dimish their brands or compete against themselves. I guess that when that happens a lot of the times in a free economy, you get companies that will come and offer cheaper imitations that look and somewhat perform the same (ie: designer handbags). I can't imagine the cheap mass producers in asia are not going to make fake generic Paulson chips. I guess I'm looking for my fake Gucchi Purse in the chip world.
Since I'm discussing analogies, I think I'm looking for a BMW at a Honda price. But again, there are cars that are in the middle of the road (Audi, Acura) and I'm not seeing that in the chip market. It took asia a number of years of producing Nissans and Toyotas before they started going after the high end market with Infinites and Acuras. Once that happened the higher end producers started generating lower end models (Audi)
If I had to buy right now (which I don't) I probably would go with the NexGen chips.. I just wish I could get one step up from those. Maybe I'll wait a little longer. Someone will fill this void!
Also Meridan, I do not play in DC. I live in Fairfax and I'm an old married guy with babies. I don't get out of the house much. Just local games and monthly poker nights at the home.
Posted Thu Jan 06, 2005 4:55 pm GMT by pie taster
| Iron Butt wrote: | LOL... I made almost the same post about 9 months ago. I ended up with the LV Nexgens and am happy with them especially for the .15 each I paid.
|
How did you swing that deal.. I haven't seen them for less than .27 - .30?
Posted Thu Jan 06, 2005 4:58 pm GMT by twintowers
http://www.pokerchips.com/chips/chips_styles.html
clay chip with edge spot $.50
Pick your color combo
Pick your mold
Wait for 4-5 months
Your set will be good for life
Real clay chips @ 50 cents each.
Posted Thu Jan 06, 2005 5:03 pm GMT by MeridianFC
| pie taster wrote: | | I can't imagine the cheap mass producers in asia are not going to make fake generic Paulson chips. I guess I'm looking for my fake Gucchi Purse in the chip world. |
Actually this has surprised me a bit too. I figured some Pacific Rim company would make a version of clay chips. I've read some about a group of gangsters in Hong Kong who were making counterfeit cheques from some casino. They were taking the cheques over to the US and trying to cash 'em. Don't know what casino and therefore what kind of chip they were copying.
The manufacture of proper clay chips ain't cheap or easy. It involves high heat and pressure and for the most part that means expensive machines. I agree that there should be something in this great middle, or at least more competition for the home market, but I know most businesses don't have the wherewithall to get into industrial compression pressing.
| Quote: | | Also Meridan, I do not play in DC. I live in Fairfax and I'm an old married guy with babies. I don't get out of the house much. Just local games and monthly poker nights at the home. |
I've played out in Fairfax a few times (do you know Scott Keen's game?) but I have a kid and wife so I stick close to home too, though I do venture out to College Park on occasion.
K.
Posted Thu Jan 06, 2005 6:20 pm GMT by ashVID
When the Nexgens first came out 5star put them on eBay with a BIN price of about $0.15 a chip. Lots of us bought sets of 1000 for $150. I think it was a price mistake, or maybe just an intro to the new chip. You can get 650 for that price now if you use one of their coupons.
ash =o)
Posted Thu Jan 06, 2005 8:10 pm GMT by Biglickn'Bigslick
I bought 2 sets of 1000 for 150 a piece wish I would have bought more of the Nexgens
Posted Thu Jan 06, 2005 8:40 pm GMT by PocketRocket
For the most part you're looking for something for nothing, so yeah, it's hard. Unless you stumble onto some sort of inventory clearance, you're not likely to get a casino grade chip for a half a buck unless you order a couple hundred thousand with an established account (i.e. be a casino). But for close to .50, you might want to try
http://www.casino4you.com/pokerchips.htm And if you're willing to forego the edge spots, you can get solid chips without labels for .37.
For less than .50 you're better off sticking with the stuff coming out of China, you'll have a lot more variety to choose from. You're not likely to find much in domestically produced chips at that price.
| pie taster wrote: | What I want:
- No plastic looking chips (clay/composite is best)
- No denominations
- Edge spotting (or appearance of such)
- Indentation for vinyl sticker inlay
- .50 a chip!!!
Is this so hard? |
Posted Thu Jan 06, 2005 9:41 pm GMT by pie taster
| MeridianFC wrote: |
I've played out in Fairfax a few times (do you know Scott Keen's game?) but I have a kid and wife so I stick close to home too, though I do venture out to College Park on occasion.
K. |
Thanks for the comments. I think you are right that I have probably underestimated the capital investment for industrial clay chip type production. Add that on top of the "boat load" chip production comment earlier. I still think that fairly soon, someone is going to be mass producing these on the cheap.
I have not played in Scott Keen's game. I have frequented his Poker Table Forum for the past few months since I'm building a poker table and have sent him questions about local poker table hardware suppliers. He's been very helpful, but I belive that he is now in Hawaii since that is where he migrates when the weather gets cold.
Posted Thu Jan 06, 2005 10:30 pm GMT by warewulf619
| twintowers wrote: | http://www.pokerchips.com/chips/chips_styles.html
clay chip with edge spot $.50
Pick your color combo
Pick your mold
Wait for 4-5 months
Your set will be good for life
Real clay chips @ 50 cents each. |
Ditto! These are real clay chips and will last forever, get better w/ age. Composites that are slightly cheaper will wear out because the design is painted on.
Posted Fri Jan 07, 2005 1:31 pm GMT by Juliea344
| pie taster wrote: | Hey, those aren't bad...
Still. .65 a chip... i wonder if they made a single edge spot how much cheaper they would be. |
I've heard that if you contact blue chip co. directly you can get these chips for .45 a piece. I'd do it but I can't stand the fact that they have NO WEBSITE. But here's the phone #(702) 399-0382
Posted Fri Jan 07, 2005 3:51 pm GMT by Diggslick
First let me say that I am very much in the same boat as you. The quasi-economist in me can't believe that there is no middle market.
I have a feeling its a long shot, but perhaps we should send a email to Blue chip and see if we can get those chips from featured on casinocom.com for the $.45 or eve $.55 price. (I like the look and seem to fit the bill of at least what I would be looking for at that price. A google search didn't seem to find any other sites offering them.
Posted Fri Jan 07, 2005 6:08 pm GMT by Deakon
| Juliea344 wrote: | | pie taster wrote: | Hey, those aren't bad...
Still. .65 a chip... i wonder if they made a single edge spot how much cheaper they would be. |
I've heard that if you contact blue chip co. directly you can get these chips for .45 a piece. I'd do it but I can't stand the fact that they have NO WEBSITE. But here's the phone #(702) 399-0382 |
I have contacted them by phone about a month ago and you can if fact get blank edge spot chips with their "shell" looking mold for .45 a piece. There is either a 400 or 500 minimum order. I can't remember which it was, I cleaned my desk and now I can't find out where I put that damn piece of paper.
Posted Fri Jan 07, 2005 8:49 pm GMT by pie taster
| Deakon wrote: |
I have contacted them by phone about a month ago and you can if fact get blank edge spot chips with their "shell" looking mold for .45 a piece. There is either a 400 or 500 minimum order. |
Now I'm getting really interested! Great info! I think I will give them a call next week.
Posted Sat Jan 08, 2005 3:51 am GMT by Pinnacle
| pie taster wrote: | | Deakon wrote: |
I have contacted them by phone about a month ago and you can if fact get blank edge spot chips with their "shell" looking mold for .45 a piece. There is either a 400 or 500 minimum order. |
Now I'm getting really interested! Great info! I think I will give them a call next week. |
I really like the look of these chips as well. However, I ordered samples and they are really light chips and were pretty easy to snap in half. For $.45 they would be OK I guess, but definitely get samples first to see if you can handle their light weight.
Posted Sat Jan 08, 2005 4:47 am GMT by warewulf619
I still say pokerchips.com .50 cent chips are the best bet. Much better quality than blue chip. I don't know how blue chip could f*ck up blank chips, but I'm sure they would find a way.
Posted Sat Jan 08, 2005 8:23 am GMT by Ken
As far as a composite/injection molded chip goes, you may want to look at http://www.thepokerchipcompany.com
Specifically, look at their 1006 chip. 45 cents per chip, no metal insert, and they have a good feel and sound in relation to a clay chip. The only thing I'm unsure of is if the center is recessed enough for a sticker.
Posted Sat Jan 08, 2005 1:20 pm GMT by Diggslick
| warewulf619 wrote: | | I still say pokerchips.com .50 cent chips are the best bet. Much better quality than blue chip. I don't know how blue chip could f*ck up blank chips, but I'm sure they would find a way. |
I think the orignal poster wants to be able to put labels on them.(as do I) IF these had a recessed center available, I'd be all over them.
Posted Wed Jan 12, 2005 3:49 pm GMT by Diggslick
I got my samples of nexgens and decided it was worth the extra money to me to order the Blue Chips with the edgespots that were mentioned in this thread.
I call the number for bluechip today, credit card in hand, ready to place an order. When I mention what I'm looking for I met with:" Beg your pardon, edgespot- blankchips?!" After I slowly repeat What I'm looking for, the woman took another dumbfounded pause and says, "let me transfer you to a salesman."
After a couple of minutes on hold the salesman comes on.(John I believe his name was.) I re-explain that I saw a set of chips I like online from a company thats out of buisiness and read from a knowledgeable source online that they will sell them directly. He seems uncomfortable in a sort of confused way and tells me that they usually only deal with commercial companies and ask if I want them for a personal set. I say yes and he says that they can do hot stamping or inlays. Now I take the confused pause.(do casino's require hotstamping that oftern?) He begins to explain what hot stamping is and I tell him I'm aware of it. When I ask him if the "no blanks" is a recent change of policy, he simply repeats that we don't usually sell to blank chips.
I got the feeling that he didn't really know what he was talking about. Does anyone have any more specifics about what they asked for or who gave them those prices, or if theres a secret handshake to get them.
Thanks
Posted Wed Jan 12, 2005 4:07 pm GMT by Deakon
I am trying to find the paper that had the information written down that had the name of the idividual I spoke with. I even gave him the URL for the company that was selling them before going out of business. Once I find the paper, I can give you the name of the person. It's funny you mention the hotstamping because he mentioned the same thing to me and I had to tell him, "No, I just want the blank-edgespot chips that the company was previously selling before going out of business." I'll edit this post once I find the name.
Posted Wed Jan 12, 2005 4:34 pm GMT by leetpants
I called the other day and he said they do sell them, but for .55 each, not .45.
The guys name was Charlie if i remember correctly.
Posted Wed Jan 12, 2005 4:59 pm GMT by Deakon
| leetpants wrote: | I called the other day and he said they do sell them, but for .55 each, not .45.
The guys name was Charlie if i remember correctly. |
Then he changed the prices within the last 3 or 4 weeks.
Posted Wed Jan 12, 2005 10:06 pm GMT by Diggslick
Guy thanks alot for getting back to me. Even at .55 a piece, I'd probably still order them. ( tough I'd rather not spend the 50 bucks.)
I'm wondering what exactly I have to say to get them to sell them to me. Guess I'll give it a try again tommorrow.
Posted Fri Jan 14, 2005 9:21 am GMT by pie taster
| Diggslick wrote: |
I'm wondering what exactly I have to say to get them to sell them to me. Guess I'll give it a try again tommorrow. |
Any updates?
Posted Sat Jan 15, 2005 2:56 pm GMT by Diggslick
I didn't get a chance to call them Thursday or Friday. I going to try and place and order Monday.
Posted Tue Jan 18, 2005 1:20 pm GMT by Diggslick
Called today and spoke to Charlie. Said there was no problem with selling the blank chips. The price he quoted was $.55 a piece. I placed a order for 400 hundred chips.
The best part was that they don't take credit cards  I also had to call back because he didn't shipping. He gave me the precise recommendation of "throw about $8 there, it should cover it.
Posted Tue Jan 18, 2005 1:28 pm GMT by warewulf619
Like ordering fast food, I hope he repeated the order back to you...
Let us know what you think when you get them!
Posted Tue Jan 18, 2005 1:44 pm GMT by pie taster
| warewulf619 wrote: |
Let us know what you think when you get them! |
Wow, nothing like companies making it difficult to buy stuff.... please take pics and post'em when you get'em.
Posted Tue Jan 18, 2005 3:13 pm GMT by leetpants
Please take pics!
How did you know what colors you wanted?
He is sending me a list with the colors so i know, but there are some i saw which im pretty sure i want.
Posted Tue Jan 18, 2005 4:15 pm GMT by Diggslick
| leetpants wrote: | Please take pics!
How did you know what colors you wanted?
He is sending me a list with the colors so i know, but there are some i saw which im pretty sure i want. |
You can see pics at:
http://www.casinocom.com/ChipSale/blankedgespotchips.html
We play some cash games but even when I play tournaments, we usually have real money denominations. I'll have labels put on for .25,$1,$ 5and $10 chips. Since I'm not a huge fan of the "basic" color denominations, I went for a Green, Black, purple and yellow (casino value /100) I'll probably even have the the .00 added to the 1,5 & 10s for effect.
I'll post pics as soon as I get the chips, then when I add the yet to be designed labels.
Posted Tue Jan 18, 2005 4:21 pm GMT by Diggslick
| warewulf619 wrote: | Like ordering fast food, I hope he repeated the order back to you...
Let us know what you think when you get them! |
lol I suggested I could include a written request along with the numbers of each chip I wanted and we both agreed that it was a good ided. 
Posted Tue Jan 18, 2005 5:02 pm GMT by leetpants
I wonder if those are the only combos they are offering?
I've see some different ones on some custom blue chip, chips on ebay that i never saw before.
Hopefully there are more.
Posted Mon Jan 31, 2005 2:33 pm GMT by ColoradoNuts
Any pics yet? I am dying to see these blank bluechips, especially since the casinocom site is down...
Posted Sat Feb 12, 2005 11:54 am GMT by Juliea344
bumpity bump
Posted Sun Feb 13, 2005 5:31 pm GMT by leetpants
Im interested in some of the colors the offer, but i'd like to see if people like the way they are.
Anyone get their chips from Blue chip yet?
Posted Tue Feb 15, 2005 12:55 pm GMT by Diggslick
I might have to disappoint everyone as it seems that I was the only one who was going to order these.
I finally recieved a call that they had the stock in to complete my order last saturday. With the introduction of some of the nicer low cost alternatives,(RPT double edge and the 3 color Nexgens) I'm wondering if I realy want to spend 2.5 times more or these chips considering my grad student budget. I'll have to decide by the end of the week.
Posted Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:58 pm GMT by JHile31
can someone tell me where i can see a picture of these chips? i know no one has ordered the blank chips yet, but i dont know what the chips look like WITH an inlay or hotstamp. Someone please tell me where i can see these. The casinocom.com site doesnt work...
ok wait...its the blue chip "shell" design right? So they would look like the grand island chips on pokerchipsreview? I would defitnitely be ready to order 1000 of those for .45 a piece...if anyone can find out how to get that price let me know...im all about that :D
Posted Tue Feb 15, 2005 9:59 pm GMT by Nickmast
i hear ya jhile. if those are the same as the grand island with no denoms, i'd buy 1000 in a heartbeat for .45 a piece.
Posted Tue Feb 15, 2005 11:27 pm GMT by Juliea344
Before casinocom went down, the chips they pictured were very similar to the Grand Islands only there weren't any with 3 edge spot colors, just 2.
Posted Tue Feb 15, 2005 11:31 pm GMT by JHile31
2 edge spots would be fantastic, three would be better...still waiting to hear if anyone knows how to get them
Posted Wed Feb 16, 2005 11:15 am GMT by ColoradoNuts
| JHile31 wrote: | | 2 edge spots would be fantastic, three would be better...still waiting to hear if anyone knows how to get them |
Looking back through the thread, the .45 price is no longer current; it is .55 now.
Posted Wed Feb 16, 2005 12:29 pm GMT by JHile31
i saw that but depending on who you talk to at blue chip, the price could be different. they may not have a defined price for those chips if not many people have requested them.
Posted Wed Feb 16, 2005 1:13 pm GMT by warewulf619
I'm sure you will find that Blue Chip is a total disorganized mess. If you do talk to them, ask them why they dont have a website? I think it's because they already have enough problems and a website would just bring more...
Posted Wed Feb 16, 2005 4:22 pm GMT by Juliea344
I'd be happy with an email address...
Posted Wed Feb 16, 2005 4:40 pm GMT by warewulf619
Try bluechip@aol.com
not sure though
Posted Thu Feb 17, 2005 12:48 pm GMT by lwestatbus
Are we a bunch of sick puppies, or what? I've already got about $150 into 1200 11.5g chips that I didn't like so I gave them away for Christmas presents (big hit, BTW). Then a similar amount for another set of 11.5g's I like better, but that was before seeing the cool things people are doing with custom labels. Now I've ordered two sample sets of LV NexGens but can't make up my mind because with only two per color I can't really visualize them stacked. When 5-Star introduced the three-color RPT chips I ordered 10 of each color so I could see them stacked. BTW, I agree with the original poster re the LV on the edge of the NexGens. But everybody has a river near them. I'm thinking of putting "Larry's Banana River Card Room" (I'm in Florida) on my labels if I go with the RPT set.
To get to the point (finally) I've spent more time and money shopping for poker chips than I did for my last car, some houses, and pushing what I spent to find a wife. Do we need a support group?
BTW (again), 5-Star has the original three colors of RPTs with just one color of edge spot while the recently added chips have two-color edge spots. I called them and asked if the original white, red, and blue chips would come out with two-color edge spots and was told no. But I also see that they are unloading 650-chip sets of just the original 3 colors on eBay at a discount so maybe they are clearing out for consistent coloring. Anybody have any info?
|
|
