[dammitjim]

There are nice chips that are out there that people bought 10+ years ago, don't use anymore, and would be happy to unload for way less than $1 each. It's just a matter of finding them.

My secret to finding these chips has been craigslist. You've got to watch it like a hawk and pay attention to ads for "old chips" or something random like that. The best finds usually come from ads that have vague descriptions, fuzzy pictures and a seller that can't describe the chips beyond the count and the color. If you're in a craigslist town I recommend checking that site often for poker chips. Two of my best craigslist finds over the last year were 800 mint Paulson Starbursts and 2500+ circle-squares. The guy selling the circle-squares advertised them as "wooden poker chips":

http://chiptalk.net/forum/history-po...ese-chips.html

Garage sales have potienal, but I've had no luck at them and the only good score i've heard of is the huge pile of Paulsons that Quads found at an estate sale for next to nothing.

Anyone else want to share some advice on how to dig up these unwanted chips?

[CaptLego]

I keep checking pawn shops and antique stores/consignment shops, hoping to score some sweet vintage chips. So far, no luck.
I have found a couple of nice wooden chip racks, but the only chips I've seen have been plastic.

[DEEJAY]

Originally Posted by dammitjim

There are nice chips that are out there that people bought 10+ years ago, don't use anymore, and would be happy to unload for way less than $1 each. It's just a matter of finding them.

My secret to finding these chips has been craigslist. You've got to watch it like a hawk and pay attention to ads for "old chips" or something random like that. The best finds usually come from ads that have vague descriptions, fuzzy pictures and a seller that can't describe the chips beyond the count and the color. If you're in a craigslist town I recommend checking that site often for poker chips. Two of my best craigslist finds over the last year were 800 mint Paulson Starbursts and 2500+ circle-squares. The guy selling the circle-squares advertised them as "wooden poker chips":

http://chiptalk.net/forum/history-po...ese-chips.html

Garage sales have potienal, but I've had no luck at them and the only good score i've heard of is the huge pile of Paulsons that Quads found at an estate sale for next to nothing.

Anyone else want to share some advice on how to dig up these unwanted chips?

I remember those chips quads got but i wonder if he went back for that other case the guy said he had?

[AgentVic]

Originally Posted by CaptLego

I keep checking pawn shops and antique stores/consignment shops, hoping to score some sweet vintage chips. So far, no luck.
I have found a couple of nice wooden chip racks, but the only chips I've seen have been plastic.

Same thing here...check often.

[Apotome]

Well, this wasn't quite as nice a find as your circle-squares, but I was pretty happy none-the-less.

To set the scene, I had previously had some of my new circle-squares displayed on my coffee table in a small wooden rack that I got off eBay back in the summer. They looked great, but then when I got a proper travel case for them, it was always short about 88 chips... as they were in the rack. So I went looking for some vintage ASM-type chips to fill the rack.

I found just what I wanted and at just about the right price. I got about 114 of these chips for $20.50 (U.S.) Of course, shipping was another $20 (U.S.) but then I'm sort of almost getting used to that fact of life in Canada.



Because the pictures weren't all that great on the eBay posting (the ones above are mine, not the ones I saw before buying) I had myself convinved these chips were the Roman mold. Now, that's not my favorite mold but for the price I was willing to live with it.

I was pleasantly surprised to find out they were a mold called 'wave crests'.

http://www.antiquegamblingchips.com/...tters.htm#md16

They were dirty, chipped, scratched and overall very heavily worn. And I loved them right away.

They have a character that obviously took hundreds of uses to acquire. Who knows where they've been? Who knows when they were made? Who knows who 'RFH' was? All I know is that they are a wonderful little set that seemed a perfect match for the rack I had waiting for them.

I gave them each a gentle bath using dish soap and one of those weird rubber tooth brushes you put on your finger and use on your dog. I wanted to clean the 'yuck' off of them, but leave the patina that had built up over many years.

Then I oiled each one with mineral oil. This brought much of the color back to life and the reds especially really popped after they'd been oiled.

My coffee table rack is now full again. My newer circle-squares are safe and sound in their (faux) aligator skin case. And I'm a happy camper.

All the best,
Allan B.