They’re often made of inexpensively of compressed plastic while vintage poker chips from the 1920s to the 1950s in particular were often made of Bakelite or Catalin. These chips, which have little value, usually have a picture on them (a portrait, animal, or object such as a car, crown, or lighthouse) and no denominations-players determine their value by the colors. That’s why it is important to distinguish “poker chips” from “casino chips.” Poker chips are mass produced and widely sold for private play.
Chips from long-gone casinos like El Rancho Vegas, which operated from 1941 to 1960, evoke a particular nostalgia. On the casino floor, businessmen in swanky suits and elegant ladies in evening gowns crowded around the high-roller tables. On stage, the Rat Pack was the headliner. Well, maybe that wasn't us, but we can still enjoy some the vintage poker chips.Ĭollectors are particularly attracted to chips from the heyday of casinos, the glamorous era of Las Vegas and Atlantic City after World War II. ( )=įor poker players, the old days are the glory days-when players tossed expensive, monogrammed chips into the pot, passed around a box of fine cigars, and relaxed at their private casino table while waiting for a fellow magnate to bid or fold. Interesting, with a number of errors and omissions. I just stumbled across this article from 'Collector’s Weekly'.
