HISTORY OF POKER CHIPS: FROM EARLY DAYS TO MODERN CASINO CHIPS

Gambling is one of the world’s oldest pastimes, so it’s no surprise that the game of poker has gone through such an evolution. 

The history of poker chips is one that is actually quite interesting. However, despite this rich history, casino chips were one of the newer inventions to enter the gambling sphere. 

Modern chips only emerged in Mississippi gambling houses in the early 1800s, whereas many casinos had been around since the 1600s. Before the introduction of casino tokens, players would use gold nuggets, paper money, ivory chips or pinches of gold dust, but as you can imagine, this rarely ended well. So, to prevent this recipe for disaster, casinos introduced casino chips.

Join us as we delve deep into the casino chip evolution and see how these chips have transformed throughout the years.

THE ORIGINS OF POKER CHIPS AND EARLY FORMS OF GAMBLING TOKENS

As we mentioned, the casino chip was only introduced in the early 1800s. Players used to gamble using golden coins, nuggets and even gold dust until they were replaced by casino chips.

Casino chips were smaller, lighter and easier to manage. Old casino chips were made from wood and bone, and some casino’s chips were constructed from a mixture of paper and clay. 

Players immediately took a liking to the new-and-improved casino chips but some for different reasons than others. Gamblers found it easy to create fake chips and use them to add to their stacks before cashing out at their casino. 

Casinos added security features to prevent this and upgraded the flimsy, fragile casino chips that were also easy to replicate. And after the Second World War, casino chips soon became much more difficult to replicate as production companies developed new techniques and forged each casino chip out of more durable clay composite materials. Ceramic poker chips weren’t introduced until the ’80s.

By the time the 20th century hit, manufacturers began using high pressure machinery to create their chips, and because of this, the size for all chips were standardised.

HOW POKER CHIPS EVOLVED TO BECOME A KEY COMPONENT OF THE GAME

So now that you know how the composition of these poker chips evolved, what about how they made their way into the gambling scene? 

Well, back in the early days, many arguments would ensue following almost every game of poker. The actual amount players would bet wasn’t exactly regulated since, the majority of the time, they would go off of a number of coins or gold nuggets. 

These arguments would often turn violent and were one of the many reasons why gambling wasn’t legalised for years. Casinos introduced the casino chips we all know today to combat this and make gambling a little fairer! 

Of course, modern tokens look nothing like the old chips of the 19th century, but they remain a key component when gamblers play casino games.

THE ROLE OF POKER CHIPS IN CASINO GAMING AND THEIR REGULATION

When casino chips were truly incorporated into cash games, any casino in Las Vegas could accept them — before 1980, that is. At this time, however, the Nevada State Gaming Control Board prohibited the use of casino chips outside of the casino that issued them. This implied that players could only use their chips at a gambling table and don’t retain any other value. 

So, unless they play poker, roulette, baccarat, blackjack, slot machines, or other gambling games, they cannot use their chips at all. They are not able to sell casino tokens, either, since these chips are not theirs to sell.

THE USE OF DIFFERENT MATERIALS IN POKER CHIPS THROUGHOUT HISTORY

Casino chips have drastically changed the way they look and feel. Manufacturers explored many different techniques and materials to try and get these casino chips (including edge spots) as unique as possible. 

Most casinos nowadays even forge their own casino chips according to their brand, using their own distinctive colours and sizes for each casino chip. In fact, this is what differentiates one casino from another.

Understanding the differences between casino chip materials can be a little confusing, especially since many production companies simply describe their chips as ‘clay’. But that’s what we’re here for! 

PLASTIC CHIPS

Plastic casino chips vary quite significantly, especially in quality, price and poker chip values. 

Poker players will find that gambling houses use a wide range of plastic materials when constructing their own chips but would also include a metal insert to make each poker chip a little heftier.

LOW-QUALITY PLASTIC CHIPS

At the lower end of the spectrum of poker chip materials, we have the cheap plastic casino chips that can often be found in gas stations and supermarkets. 

These casino chips are easily regarded as probably the cheapest looking (and feeling) chips on the market.

Dice casino chips are a level above as they are made out of ABS plastic and include a metal insert to weigh them down. Poker players looking to buy their first poker chip set would get a good deal with these dice chips. 

However, it is recommended to upgrade this set eventually as it would still look quite cheap. 

HIGH-QUALITY PLASTIC CHIPS

Mid-range plastic casino chips can also be characterised by their metal inserts but are much better in quality and composition than dice chips. 

Some poker chip sets like these describe themselves as clay poker chips or clay composite chips, but this is actually a farce. These casino chips may have clay deposits but are still mostly constructed out of plastic, albeit better-quality plastic, but still plastic nonetheless, so they are not casino-grade.

There are companies that produce casino-grade plastic chips, particularly Bud Jones and Matsui. But, these poker chip sets are pretty hard to come by or get a hold of as they are not available to the average consumer. You would be better off purchasing sets made out of other materials if you’re looking for higher-quality chips.

FAUX CLAY CHIPS

Faux clay chips are even harder to come by than casino-grade plastic casino chips. They’re very specific and are, in fact, no longer produced, so it is unlikely that you’d ever get your hands on a set. 

They were only created to provide a cheaper option than the much more expensive clay chips.

CLAY CHIPS

True mineral clay chips are the best-quality casino chips on the market. While they are known as clay, they are still not pure clay, as no poker chip sets are anymore. But most casino chips made from this material are generally mixed with other materials to help increase durability. 

If they were made pure, these chips would actually be very brittle, but you can rest assured that, while these chips may not be purely made from clay, they still contain quite a high percentage. 

CLAY COMPOSITE CHIPS

Also referred to as ‘China’ clays, the clay composite chips are composed of kaolin combined with additives to help boost durability. 

This clay composition casino chip set feels dusty to the touch and is often very difficult for true clay chip sets. The one tell-tale? Its price! These chips are much cheaper than true clay, so you’ll generally find differences there. 

Just remember that each manufucter has its own way of producing these chips — how exactly is a trade secret!

CERAMIC CHIPS

You’d think that ceramic chips are called ceramic because they are actually made out of porcelain, but you’d be wrong. Ceramic chip sets are actually made out of a type of plastic resin that mimics the appearance of porcelain. 

These types of chips are much more durable than their clay counterparts, and chip collectors would call them practically indestructible. The vast majority of casinos use these casino chips for all casino games — card games and table games alike. From smaller casinos to the top dogs headlining the Las Vegas strip, ceramic casino chips are top sellers. They also allow lettering and graphics on the entire surface of each chip, so it’s no wonder that these are so widely used.

THE INTRODUCTION OF CERAMIC CHIPS AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE INDUSTRY

Because chips were once made of clay, casinos often faced issues surrounding security. Clay casino chips were brittle and easy to replicate, so many players would forge their own casino tokens to add to their stacks. 

The introduction of ceramic chip sets allowed casinos to add an extra layer of security while also making them a lot more durable, combatting the deterioration all clay tokens would inevitably experience.

THE ART AND DESIGN OF POKER CHIPS

Nowadays, casino chips are often composed of similar material, only differentiating in perhaps colour and size or anything related to branding. This means that specific casinos have specific designs for their chips to show players that their chips are theirs and theirs alone. Each casino also includes unique security features pressed onto each poker chip.

In fact, most casino chip sets have different denominations, but some are left unmarked to be used for specific games in different casinos around the world.

It’s pretty safe to say that the quality of casino chip sets found today is a far cry from what they once were. There are many different sets available on the market, composed of many different materials for your choosing, depending on how much you want to actually spend. Either way, modern poker chip sets are quite great quality.

THE FUTURE OF POKER CHIPS: TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS AND NEW MATERIALS

There has been a lot of discussion surrounding the future of casino chip sets and how modern materials will be incorporated to create a new line of poker chips. It is no secret that technology is constantly improving, so casinos must make it a point to keep up with all the technological advancements going on in the gambling sphere. 

Experts argue how these advancements will impact casino chip manufacturing. Many believe that electronic devices will begin to replace actual, physical chips since online casinos already make use of virtual chips. But, land-based gambling houses have argued against this, assuring players that they will stick to the traditional form of gambling so as to keep classic games alive, especially since most gambler actually enjoy holding chips in their hands.

Casino chips have long been part of the gambling experiences, so it is unlikely this will change anytime soon. What players might need to expect is changes in security measures to help eliminate cheaters or scammers as much as possible. With gaming authorities doubling down on fairness harder than ever before, casinos must ensure they are providing an experience that is as safe as possible.

COLLECTING POKER CHIPS: A HOBBY WITH A RICH HISTORY

Poker chip collecting has become quite a popular hobby. Players have been collecting casino chips for years, and the hobby really bloomed when the Casino Chips & Gaming Tokens Collectors Club was formed in 1988. It’s pretty safe to say that the Collectors Club was quite a success. 

Old collectable chips are often valued at prices ranging up to six figures, and some casinos also sell custom sets to collectors with special certifications. Today, chip conventions are often held in Las Vegas, featuring a wide variety of collectable chips and other premium items. These can range from old sets to rare chips that no longer exist, featuring logos and symbols from underground casinos or past casino games. Each set has its own unique history, so casino enthusiasts do not miss the chance to visit this convention.

FAMOUS AND HISTORIC POKER CHIP SETS

Manufacturers have produced thousands of chip sets over the years, but there have been a few that caught many players’ attention. Here’s a list of some of the most famous (and expensive) chip sets to have been created:

• Lancelot Lancaster White Buckingham Box — Features a total of 500 Abbiati chips with velvet-padded pockets for each chip and leather-bound decks. This set has an estimated worth of $38,500. 
• Stahl Meteorite Set — Includes two decks of cards of superb quality, 120 chips and five ivory dice made from the tusk of a mammoth. The box itself is also lined with reindeer calfskin and adorned with precious stones.
• Geoffrey Parker Alligator Set — A diamond-encrusted set made from 18-carat white gold and adorned with over 22,000 precious stones housed in alligator hide.

HOW THE EVOLUTION OF POKER CHIPS REFLECTS THE CHANGING NATURE OF THE GAME

Gambling chips have come a long way since they were introduced back in the 1800s. Their introduction made gambling a lot smoother as players are more likely to feel comfortable gambling using chips rather than paper money — a psychological advantage that benefitted casinos greatly. The use of chips also made gambling safer, as players were no longer required to carry around bags of money if they wanted to bet big.

Modern chips have become trackable, making it easy for casinos to locate their chips in case of theft or loss. Some players worry that they’ll soon see the end of casino chips, but it is highly likely that chips will be used in casinos for years to come.