Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 8, 1995 TAG: 9510100113
SECTION: HOMES PAGE: D1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: KATHY SUE GRIGG
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Believe it, or not, poker chips are popular collectibles. They are made out of a variety of materials: clay, porcelain, bone, mother of pearl, wood, rubber and ivory.
Sometimes, wealthy card players had their own set of scrimshawed chips. These chips were made during the last half of the 19th century and into the early 1900's. Ivory chips, in good condition, can bring collectors a small fortune.
Bone chips were used in the 1880's and 1890's. They were more porous than ivory and were dyed different colors.
Mother-of-pearl chips are found in different shapes, like ovals and fish designs. Some of the chips even have faces carved in them.
Sets of chips can come in elaborate containers. These chips are usually in great demand and are highly priced. Lovely jewelry has been made from decorative chips.
In the 1880's, there was a mass production of chips. Composition chips were primarily made of clay and shellac. Some were plain; while, others were red, white, and blue.
Between 1895 and 1900, the first designs were placed on the clay chip.
The design consisted of a small paper center pasted onto the center of the chip. Later, the paste-on design was replaced by molding a slight recess into the chip. The clay chip was inexpensive - one thousand composition chips sold for around $4 or $5. Poker was, and still is, the most popular card game in the world.
The inlaid chip was the other most common chip used. This chip has four different types of edges - round, semiround, square, and serrated. You can find these design chips at casino roulette tables; even though, most of the chips used today are plastic.
Poker chips are the same size as a silver dollar. So, if you choose to collect them, you could use a silver dollar binder for your collection. Be careful not to wash the composition chips because they fade badly, once they are washed. They can be cleaned with a pencil eraser.
Depending on how you collect your chips, be prepared to ante up. It's all in the game!
by CNB