How are poker chips made
Have you ever wondered how poker chips are made? Probably not, right? If you play in online poker tournaments or other poker events, you likely have very little appreciation for the hardware used in traditional poker.
You play with poker chips, but do you know what they’re made of?
But, if you just research a little bit about the components that are required to make a poker game function, like poker chips and poker tables, you may gain a new level of appreciation for the game. Here’s some information on how poker chips are actually made.
The Different types of poker chips
Molded
Poker chips made from plastic are usually molded. This is the most cost effective and efficient way to make large quantities of these chips. The plastic base material is melted down, injected into molds, left to cool and extracted. It is a basic process that can be done on a large scale. This is the main reason why you can buy poker chips for such a good price – plastic is cheap and the process used to mold these chips is cheap.
Pressed
Poker chips made from clay are usually pressed. If you have ever seen how a coin is made, you pretty much know how clay poker chips are made. Small discs are cut out under a press, which comes down and imprints the logos and/or designs on them. After that, they are treated with heat and other chemicals so they will last for a long period of time and not deteriorate. Clay is a bit more expensive and the process is a little more involved, so clay poker chips cost a little more than plastic poker chips.
Handmade
Finally, some special chips are handmade. This is very uncommon and is exclusive to high class collector poker chips. The discs of the chosen material (crystal, stone, wood) are cut out, and an artist works with each one by hand designing them. Now, these poker chips are rarely, if ever, used to actually play poker and are more of collector items than anything else.
Next time you log into your favorite poker room online or one of the many poker sites you are a member of, take a minute to consider the way poker began and how people in the past used to play the game. Playing in online poker tournaments or other poker events seems to create a disconnection between poker players and the tradition of playing Texas Holdem and Omaha hi poker. Don’t be one of those poker players who were misinformed about the game and don’t take it for granted – learn the history of poker chips and everything that was used to play poker.