Antique Poker Chips - How To Locate Vintage Poker Chips
It may seem odd, but there’s a whole subculture built around collecting antique poker chips. When you consider the unique mystique and history of poker, however, the obsession becomes less surprising.
Today poker chips are made from compressed plastic or clay composite, but if you could travel back to the early 1900s you’d find chips made of ivory, paper, bone, or even wood. And if you were able to visit 18th century Europe or China you’d find mother of pearl gaming chips being used for gambling.
Antique chips can be pricey, but you can also find plenty of affordable antique chips that are both unique and stylish. I know some guys that like to use them as card protectors.
Finding interesting singles is a lot easier than locating a complete antique poker chip set, but there are still some around if you’re willing to do some digging. You can try this online antique chip dealer
E-bay is also a good resource.
So what are your options? Well, you can buy real casino chips that have been either discontinued or were from a casino that went out of business or you can find old chips used in other venues like from an Elks or Moose lodge.
For a taste of true outlaw history, you can buy illegal poker chips. Don’t worry – no one is going to bust down your door and haul you off to jail - illegal antique chips are from underground establishments in the U.S. that hosted games in the 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s.
If you’re interested in buying antique poker chips, you can start with my poker chip articles. Then try these tips on collecting poker chips. The Casino Chip and Gaming Token Collectors club also has some great resources on their education page.
If you’re looking for more, buy Antique Gambling Chips by Dale Seymore online at Barnes & Noble. It’s widely considered the bible of poker chip collectors.
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