Question re: Plaques and Chips with identical values

[ipgyst]

Historically speaking, I believe that plaques are new to home/fantasy sets (correct me if I'm wrong). I've noticed at least one set or two where the manufacturer offers plaques and chips in the same denomination. My best example is the Mardi Gras clay chips, where you can get both 5000 and 25000 in both chips and plaques (go to holdempokerchips to see pictures).

My question is, why do this? Am I missing something? Is there some historical precedent here? I know plaques are common in European casinos. So do European casinos offer chips and plaques in identical values also?

(Mod - I really wanted to avoid putting this thread in Poker Chips General and this seemed the best place)

[_GUN_]

Well, the plaques offered NJ and holdempokerchips.com are ceramic. Ceramic plaques are new to the market. Plaques are not new to home gaming, though. There are many sets, which were made for wealthy individuals, in the private sector, using mother of pearl plaques. In casinos, which offer plaques, the plaques are generally reserved for only the highest denominations. In a casino setting, plaques won't often share a value with the chips or jetons on the floor. Plaques offer security and they're less fragile than a clay chip. They're also harder to lose. They are reserved for the high limit table games(like baccarat). Also, casino plaques are acrylic, not ceramic. The reason why the NJ set has chips and plaques of the same value is because the chips came first. NJ realizes not everyone wants plaques, that is why the sets overlap and the plaques don't take on a sequential value. Some people just prefer the plaques because of their newness.

Here's a set most likely made for an individual and not a licensed room; they're mother of pearl. The set went for $787 recently on eBay.

[ipgyst]

Now that post there is some first-rate information. Thanks!

[rakrul]

Originally Posted by ipgyst

My question is, why do this? Am I missing something? Is there some historical precedent here? I know plaques are common in European casinos. So do European casinos offer chips and plaques in identical values also?

When I was in Tallin some guys came with 1k plaques (worth around $80-90) that they had "bought" in the Cashier's teller. They were not allowed at the poker-table so they had to be changed by the dealer. They had 1k chips, (and even up to 10k) so I have no idea why they got the plaques but some euro-casinos have both plaques and chips in the same denom.

[jdunford]

Originally Posted by ipgyst

Historically speaking, I believe that plaques are new to home/fantasy sets (correct me if I'm wrong). I've noticed at least one set or two where the manufacturer offers plaques and chips in the same denomination. My best example is the Mardi Gras clay chips, where you can get both 5000 and 25000 in both chips and plaques (go to holdempokerchips to see pictures).

My question is, why do this? Am I missing something? Is there some historical precedent here? I know plaques are common in European casinos. So do European casinos offer chips and plaques in identical values also?

(Mod - I really wanted to avoid putting this thread in Poker Chips General and this seemed the best place)

Someone else can correct me if I'm mistaken, but as I understand it, In the Mardi Gras (MG) chip line at HPC, I think the ceramic (Nevada Jacks) MG chip set came first, and the plaques were designed for them. Then Michael had the BCC clay MG chips made, and they only went up to $100 (limited by 3d14 spot patterns). The $500-$25,000 denominations were added on later (and maybe in 2 parts; e.g. $500 and $1,000, and then the $5,000 and $25,000 even later... but I'm not sure). Now, the plaques go nicely with either the ceramic or clay chip sets, and allows for some customization.

I'm guess the main reason plaques weren't available to the home market in the past was cost. 5 years ago, a 500-chip set of dice chips cost > $100, and very few people played with anything better than those at their home games. Along came ChipTalk, and us connoisseurs/addicts are "happy" to pay > $1/chip for a quality clay chip. Meanwhile, plaques are significantly more expensive than even the nicest home-market chips; typically $8-$10 each! Not a lot of players are willing to spend $200 for 20 plaques to top out their sets... so it's just a matter of market (not enough demand to support many sets with plaques).