Clay poker chips are the most sought after type of chip. Everyone wants clay poker chips. Why? The softer feel, better sound, and better stackability compared to a plastic (ABS) chip makes them most appealing. Plus you can tell your friends you've got "clay poker chips".

But if you paid under $100 for a set of clay poker chips on Ebay and think you got a good deal, you better think again.

Clay is a more expensive material than plastic, thus the higher the clay content of a chip, the more you'll pay. So when you see a clay poker chip set under $80, you're probably not getting clay.

So if they're not clay poker chips, then what are they?

I have dealt with Chinese manufacturers who are pushing plastic chips coated with calcium carbonate. This gives the outer surface of the chip a soft clay like feel, and they really do feel like clay poker chips.

But after a few months of play this coating wears off and what your left with is an ABS chip. So as a rule of thumb, if you see a clay poker chip set for under $90.00, know you're taking a risk of getting fake clay poker chips.

The term "clay poker chips" is thrown around so often it's a joke. Many retailers use it move their product. But there are many fine poker chips out there that are not made of clay. Hey look, I have a set of Paulson Chips that are no doubt my favorites to play with (for those that don't know, Paulson's are the finest and most expensive clay poker chips available today).

But my second favorite chips, that are very reasonably priced, are Nexgen Series 2, and they're not even clay poker chips.

The Nexgen line of chips uses a high compression plastic molding that gives the chip a clay feel and great look, plus at 12 grams the weight is there as well. I would recommend these to someone who is looking for clay poker chips. Nexgen feels the same as clay and looks great, so really, why do you have to have clay?

Bottom line: don't get caught up in the hype of clay poker chips. If you find a decent set, and there are some good, reasonably priced clay poker chips out there, then get them. But if your confused and not sure, those Nexgen's are a safe bet. 

Check out our review of  clay poker chip sets to see our recommendations for the best "real" clay poker chips, as well as recommended poker suppliers who carry these chips.