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If you've been around a while in the world of poker, you'd know that poker chips are those fancy colored clay or plastic "coins" that you use like money. The more chips you're able to collect in the game, the more you're guaranteed to earn. It's probably a little known fact that a lot goes into protecting the chips from being counterfeited – because they're as precious as real money!
Materials and processes used in making poker chips
Although most people perceive most poker chips to be made of 100% clay, that's not totally true. The truth is quite different - these chips are actually an amalgamation of several substances that combined together for a composition that is stronger and more durable than clay. Most of the time clay is the substance of choice, although there are other versions as well. Ceramic is one such popular alternative. Most of the casinos of modern times prefer to use these ceramic chips. These are usually injection molded and graphics are typically just printed onto the surface.
If you thought chip making was no big deal – think again! The process of making these chips is a fiercely guarded secret among poker chip manufacturing companies. Techniques vary from one manufacturer to another – most of them being very laborious and costly too. You may have noticed tiny spots on the surface of these chips. These are not just painted superficially. In fact, in each spot the clay has been gouged out and then manually replaced by fresh clay pieces. Each chip is then subjected to extreme pressure and heat – sometimes even more than 150 degrees Celsius! The process is known as compression molding. You may also find many colorful graphics printed on the surfaces of these poker chips. These are not just any old prints – each graphic is actually made of fine paper, which has been covered with an ultra-thin plastic film. This is applied just before the compression molding process. This enables the graphics to be permanently affixed to the surface. No one can possibly remove these unless they destroy the entire chip.
Different colors used
Some of the common colors used in poker chips include red, white, blue and even black. These were the traditional colors used in poker chips in olden times. Modern day chips come in more vibrant hues – thus catering to a wider audience. Some of the more adventurous colors include pink, yellow, mustard yellow, orange, etc.
Poker chips are sophisticated, high-security materials
Don't believe us? Wait till you hear this. Every casino has its own peculiar set of chips meant for poker. Nowhere will you find chips identical between any two casinos. Usually the differentiating factor is the special customized spots on the edges of these chips. Every graphic you see printed is actually a high resolution image and of very good quality. The design and coloring as well as the entire process of making these chips is a trade secret. It is almost impossible to counterfeit any of these chips – such is the extreme level of inbuilt security. Casinos are usually paranoid about the security of these poker chips – which is why, if occasion demands, they'll even spend top dollar to get the entire set of chips replaced with a new set just to ensure zero chances of any counterfeit. Every manufacturer of these chips will use highly sophisticated mechanisms to ensure none of these chips can ever be replicated. Each piece is one-of-a-kind and unique. Looks can be deceptive and these poker chips are a classic example – there's a lot more to those fancy spots and graphics than you probably realized!
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